Basilica of San Bernardino

History

Bernardino degli Albizzeschi was born in Massa Marittima in 1380. At a young age he moved to Siena, where he stayed for most of his life and began his activity as a preacher. In 1437, at the height of his fame and after repeatedly declining the office of bishop, he became vicar general of the Franciscan order in Italy. Following his appointment to vicar general, Bernardino was invited by Bishop Amico Agnifili to Abruzzo in an attempt to reconcile two adversarial groups. Although seriously sick, in 1444 he travelled to Aquila. He then died there on May 20th.

Following his death, the citizens reconciled and attained authorisation from Pope Eugene IV to keep the corpse of the saint. Pope Nicholas V canonised St Bernardino of Siena six years after his death, and shortly after the citizens of Aquila erected the Basilica in honour of his life with the help of his disciples, John of Capestrano and James of the Marches.

In 1454, ten years after the saint's death, the first period of works began. The site chosen was situated between the San Salvatore hospital and the now defunct church of Sant'Alò, to the east of the junction of Via Roma with the Corso Vittorio Emanuele in the heart of the town, close to the eastern walls of the Santa Maria quarter. The works were frequently interrupted by various natural phenomena including the earthquake of 1461, which caused some damage to the building and stalled proceedings until 1464. In 1471 the structure was consecrated, though elements of the dome and mausoleum remained uncompleted until 1489 and 1505 respectively. The work on this portion of the Basilica was concluded in 1472 with the erection of the cupola, which allowed the relocation of the saint's corpse to the inside of the dedicated chapel. In this first phase, the church had a brick facade, equipped with a portico built between 1465 and 1468, designed by James of the Marches.

Just later began the building of the facade under the direction of Silvestro dall'Aquila. When he died in 1504, the works stopped and the facade remained incomplete for over twenty years. In 1524, the job was taken over by Nicola Filotesio, better known as Cola dell'Amatrice, and the church was completed in 1542. …

Description

Along with the basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio, Saint Bernardino was the first city monument to gain interest from outside of the Abruzzo surroundings, and eventually gained national and international recognition. The interest is mainly brought by the fame of the tuscan saint, but also because of the famous historical figures of the catholic church involved in its construction, such as the two popes Nicolas V and Julius II.

The facade is made of stone and was built by Cola dell'Amatrice between 1524 and 1542. In some researchers' opinion, the facade was inspired by Michelangelo's work for the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Florence. It is subdivided in three different architectural orders: the first in the doric order, the second in the ionic and the third in the corinthian. On the columns and beams of the first order there are illustrated metopes, on the second order there is a refined triple lancet window, which was added during the restoration work in the 18th century, and on the third order there are three big oculuses. Four sequences of double columns vertically divide the church, establishing a suggestive and harmonic diagram of nine squares on three lines. The principal gate is embedded by spiral columns. The lunette includes Silvestro dell'Aquila's high relief illustrating a scene of Madonna with child between Francesco d'Assisi and Bernardino da Siena.

The layout of the inside is a Latin cross with three naves about 26 feet long. The aspect is sumptuously baroque due to restoration work following the 1703 earthquake.

Today the central nave has an exquisite wooden lacunar ceiling carving, painting and gilding by Ferdinando Mosca da Pescocostanzo (1723-1727), who also made the magnificent pipe organ. The ceiling was later painted by Girolamo Cenatiempo, pupil of Luca Giordano. The lateral naves include chapels formed in octagonal cupolas.

The last chapel to the left contains the Mausoleum Camponeschi, made by Silvestro dell'Aquila. The second from the right has an altarpiece in terracotta white-glazed on blue bottom, by Andrea della Robbia. On the fourth chapel to the right there is the painting Adorazione dei Magi, a work by Pompeo Cesura, pupil of Raffaello. …