Santa Maria Assunta, Genoa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta |
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Façade of the basilica.
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Province | Genoa |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | National monument |
| Year consecrated | 1951 |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Genoa, Italy |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Architectural style | Renaissance |
| Groundbreaking | 1522 |
| Completed | 19th century |
The Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta is a beautiful Renaissance church located in Genoa, Italy. It sits in a hilly area called Carignano, just above the city center. This is why it's also known as Santa Maria Assunta di Carignano. It's a very old and important building, with construction starting way back in 1522!
Contents
Church Design and Look
This church has a special design called a Greek cross plan. This means it looks like a plus sign (+) from above, with four sides that are all similar. Imagine a square building with four arms sticking out equally.
The church has five domes, which are like big rounded roofs. It also has two square bell towers on its main front side. The original plan was to have four bell towers, but only two were built. On the front of the church, you can see two statues made by an artist named Claude David.
Inside the Church: Art and Beauty
When you step inside the Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta, you'll see amazing decorations. Many famous artists from the late Renaissance and Baroque periods worked here.
- Dome Area Statues: Around the big dome, there are four statues in special spots. On the right, you'll find statues of Blessed Alessandro Sauli and St Sebastian, both made by Pierre Puget. On the left, there's St Bartholomew by Claude David and St John the Baptist by Filippo Parodi.
- Apostle Statues: Along the walls, there are many statues of apostles and important church leaders. These were finished around 1740 by Francesco Schiaffino.
Paintings on the Right Side
As you walk along the right side of the church, you'll see several altars, each with a special painting:
- The first altar has St Peter Healing the Lame by Domenico Piola.
- The second altar features Martyrdom di San Biagio by Carlo Baratta. Next to it, there's Resurrection of Christ by Aurelio Lomi.
- You can also see Annunciation by Ottavio Semino.
- The third altar shows Virgin with Saints Domenic and Rosa by Paolo Gerolamo Piola.
- At the fourth altar, there's Viaticum of St. Magdalene by Francesco Vanni.
Paintings on the Left Side
On the left side of the church, more beautiful artworks await:
- The fifth altar displays Blessed Alessandro Sauli Stops the Plague by Domenico Fiasella.
- At the sixth altar, you'll find Pietà by Luca Cambiaso. Nearby, there's Last Judgement by Aurelio Lomi and Vision of St Domenic by Domenico Fiasella.
- The seventh altar features Madonna with Saints Charles Borromeo and Francis of Assisi by Giulio Cesare Procaccini.
- Finally, at the eighth altar, there's St Francis of Assisi receives stigmata by Guercino.
Main Altar and Sacristy
The main altar area, called the presbytery, has paintings like Last Supper and Flight to Egypt by Giuseppe Palmieri. The main altar itself is made of marble and bronze. It was designed by Massimiliano Soldani around 1700 and has a bronze cross by Pietro Tacca. In the sacristy, which is a room where priests prepare, you can see a painting of a Holy Family by Luca Cambiaso.
See also
In Spanish: Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta (Génova) para niños
