Basilica of Sant'Andrea
by W Chris Fooshee
Title
Basilica of Sant'Andrea
Artist
W Chris Fooshee
Medium
Photograph
Description
The graceful Renaissance façade of the 15th-century Basilica di Sant’Andrea is the grandest in Mantua and is topped by a magnificent dome added in the 18th century. However, inside, its grand, vast, arched interior is free from pillars and has only one sweeping central aisle, dotted with frescoes, gilded ceiling bosses and columns painted to look like carved stone. Light pours in through the dome, highlighting the carefully crafted trompe l’oeil painting of the coffered, barrel-vaulted ceiling. The crypt houses a reliquary allegedly containing the blood of Christ, which was brought here by Longinus, the Roman soldier who thrust his spear into Jesus’s side and is said to have scooped up the earth and buried it in Mantua after leaving Palestine. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Uploaded
December 5th, 2020
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