The Basilica of Sant'Antonio da Padova.

The Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua (Italian: Sant'Antonio da Padova) is the largest church in Padua, Italy. Although the Basilica is visited as a place of pilgrimage by people from all over the world, it is not the titular cathedral of the city, a title belonging to the Duomo. The basilica is known locally as "il Santo" Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1280x960, 259 KB) Description: en: Saint Anthony Basilica, de: Basilika des heiligen Antonius in Padua Source: fotografiert am 4. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1280x960, 259 KB) Description: en: Saint Anthony Basilica, de: Basilika des heiligen Antonius in Padua Source: fotografiert am 4. ... Tronco Maestro Riviera: a pedestrian walk along a section of the inland waterway or naviglio interno of Padua. ...

History

Construction of the Basilica began in 1238, a year after the death of St. Anthony. It was completed in 1310. The Saint, according to his will, had been buried in the small church of Santa Maria Mater Domini, probably dating from the late 12th century and near which a convent was founded by him in 1229. This church was incorporated into the present basilica as the Cappella della Madonna Mora (Chapel of the Dark Madonna). Events In the Iberian peninsula, James I of Aragon captures the city of Valencia September 28 from the Moors; the Moors retreat to Granada. ... Saint Anthony of Padua Saint Anthony of Padua, also venerated as Anthony of Lisbon, particularly in Portugal (August 15, 1195 – June 13, 1231) is a Catholic saint who was born in Lisbon as Fernando de Bulhões, to a wealthy family. ... [edit] Events May 11 - In France, 64 members of the Knights Templar are burned at the stake for heresy Abulfeda becomes governor of Hama. ... Events February 18 - The Sixth Crusade: Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor signs a ten-year truce with al-Kamil, regaining Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Bethlehem with neither military engagements nor support from the papacy. ...

Architecture

Sant'Antonio is a giant edifice without a precise architectural style. Over the centuries, it has grown under a variety of different influences as shown by the exterior details.

The new basilica was begun in 1238 as a single-naved church, like that of St Francis of Assisi, with an apsidal chancel, broad transepts and two square nave bays roofed with hemispherical domes like that of San Marco, Venice. The style was Romanesque. The Basilica of San Francesco dAssisi (St Francis) is a World Heritage Site in Assisi, Italy. ... Interior of the Saint-Saturnin church St-Sernin basilica, Toulouse, 1080 – 1120: elevation of the east end Romanesque sculpture, cloister of St. ...

Later in the 13th century, the aisles were added in a more Gothic style, the length of each nave bay being divided into two aisle bays with pointed arches and quadrupartite vaults. See also Gothic art. ...

The eastern apse was also extended in the Gothic style, receiving a ribbed vault and nine radiating chapels in the French manner. Later also, the Treasury chapel was built in 1691 in the Baroque style by Filippo Parodi, a pupil of Bernini. For the Baroque style in a more general sense, see Baroque. ... A self portrait: Bernini is said to have used his own features in the David (below, left) Gian Lorenzo Bernini (Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini) (December 7, 1598 - November 28, 1680), who worked chiefly in Rome, was the pre-eminent baroque artist. ...

Externally, the brick facade has a Romanesque central section which was extended outwards when the aisles were built, aquiring in the process four deep Gothic recesses and an elegant arcaded balcony which stretches across the broad front of the building. The facade gable shows little differentiation between the nave and aisle, screening the very large buttresses that have the same profile and form a richly sculptural feature when the building is viewed from the side. Interior of the Saint-Saturnin church St-Sernin basilica, Toulouse, 1080 – 1120: elevation of the east end Romanesque sculpture, cloister of St. ...

The domes, like the domes of St. Mark's Basilica, were raised in height externally, giving a Byzantine appearance to the building, while the multitude of small belfries which accompany the domes recall Turkish minarets. Externally, at the main roofline each section of the building is marked by a low gable decorated with blind arcading in brick. These gables combine with the domes, the broad buttresses and the little towers to create a massive sculptural form, both diverse and unified in its conglomeration of features. As a work of architecture the building is particularly effective when viewed from the north west, an extra dimension being added to the facade by the huge plinth and dynamic equestrian monument of the Condottiero Gattamelata by Donatello. San Marco di Venezia, as seen from the Piazza San Marco St Marks Basilica (Italian: Basilica di San Marco in Venezia) is the most famous of the churches of Venice and one of the best known examples of Byzantine architecture. ... Byzantine architecture is the architecture of the Byzantine Empire. ... the interior of the Selimiye Mosque in Edirne. ... Apotheosis of Saint Louis by Charles H. Niehaus In sculpture, an equestrian (from the Latin equus meaning horse) is a statue consisting of a horse with mounted rider. ... Statue of Donatello outside the Uffizi, Florence. ...

Frescoes by Altichiero da Zevio in the St. James Chapel.

Art works and treasures

The interior of the church contains numerous funerary monuments, some of noteworthy artistic value. The Chapel of the Holy Sacrament, (Santissimo Chapel), in the right aisle, houses the tomb of the famous condottiero Gattamelata and of his son Giannantonio. This chapel, with its broad bands of polychrome and carved Gothic details, has had many stages of decoration, the final stage being the creation of an atmospheric mosaic in the tall rear niche representing the Holy Spirit with rays of golden light descending against a background of intensely blue sky. This highly theatrical work was created by Lodovico Pogliaghi between 1927-36. The practice of the Roman Catholic Church includes seven sacraments. ... Erasmo of Narni aka Gattamelata was born in Narni. ...

Relics of St Anthony are to be found in the ornate baroque Treasury Chapel (begun in 1691). The body of the saint, which was in Madonna Mora Chapel, has, from 1350, lain in a separate transept chapel, the interior decoration being attributed to Tullio Lombardo, who also provided many of the high-reliefs. The late-16th century statues are by Tiziano Aspetti

The Basilica contains several important images of the Madonna. The Madonna Mora is a statue of the Madonna with the Christ Child by the French sculptor Rainaldino di Puy-l'Evéque, dating from 1396. Her name refers to her black hair and olive skin tone, being interpreted as "swarthy".

The Madonna del Pilastro is a mid-14th century fresco by Stefano da Ferrara, located on the pier adjacent the left aisle.

Among other sculptural work is the magnificent Easter candelabrum in the apse, finished in 1515 by Andrea Briosco and considered his masterwork. The most famous and striking features of the high altar area are however the bronze Madonna with Child and six statues of Saints by Donatello, who also executed four reliefs with episodes of life of St. Anthony. 1515 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Andrea Broscio (c. ... Statue of Donatello outside the Uffizi, Florence. ...

To the right hand side of the nave, opposite the tomb of the Saint is the large Chapel of St. James, commissioned by Bonifacio Lupi in the 1370s in the elegant Gothic style, with frescoed walls depicting the Stories of St. James and the Crucifixion by Altichiero da Zevio. Altichiero's Crucifixion is one of the most significant paintings of the late 14th century. Crucifixion of St. ...

External links

• Official website (Italian) (English) (Spanish) (German) (French)
• Saint Anthony in Padua