Santa Maria del Regno

Ardara, Italy

Santa Maria del Regno church, together with the annexed castle of which ruins remain today, was built in the 11th century by Giorgia, daughter of the Giudice of Torres, as a Palace Chapel. The church is mentioned in the Libellus Judicum Turritanorum of the 13th century.

The church was built in dark basalt stone by Pisan workers (the island in the Middle Ages was under strong influence from the maritime Republic of Pisa). The façade is divided into five sectors and has a salient-shaped façade. In the middle is the portal, surmounted by a double mullioned window. The whole exterior of the edifice is characterized by false columns (lesenes) and Lombard bands; on the right are the remains of the square bell tower, which is missing the upper part.

The interior, on a rectangular plan, has a nave and two aisles divided by columns whose capitals have flower motifs. The nave has a wooden trusses ceiling, while the aisles are groin vaulted. In the semi-circular apse is the large retablo, the largest 16th-century polyptych in Sardinia, located behind the high altar. The table portrays several prophets and saints, as well as episodes in the life of the Virgin Mary. In the middle, within a niche, is the wooden statue of Nostra Signora del Regno, a 'Madonna with Child' wearing royal symbols. The polyptych is dated 1515.

The church's columns have 17th-century paintings with Apostles and other Saints, while also present is a lesser retablo from the same school, a carved wooden pulpit and an epigraph celebrating the consecration of the church on May 7, 1107.

Comments

Your name


Address

Ardara, Italy
See all sites in Ardara

Details

Founded: 11th century
Category: Religious sites in Italy

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Basilica di Sant'Antioco of Bisarcio (7,3 km)
Nostra Segnora de Mesumundu (6,8 km)


Sassari Cathedral (24,1 km)
Alghero Cathedral (42,7 km)
Castelsardo Cathedral (33,6 km)
Castelsardo Castle (33,4 km)
Monte d'Accoddi (35,7 km)
Basilica di Saccargia (11,5 km)
Fountain of the Rosello (24,2 km)
Nuraghe Santu Antine (15,7 km)
Necropolis of Anghelu Ruju (40,8 km)

User Reviews

AGB (5 months ago)
Romanesque church of the eleventh century. The plan is longitudinal and has 3 naves and 9 spans. The central nave is subtended by an exposed wooden truss, the 2 side aisles by cross vaults. The facade has salient features and has countless Romanesque testimonies including a mullioned window, a blind arch and 4 pilasters. From the side it is possible to see the cleristorio and the single lancet windows. The apse is single and majestically overlooks the valley.
pts pts (5 months ago)
Sadly, not open. Beautiful place with very nice pictures.
Vadim Cherny (2 years ago)
Excellent sample of 12 century Romanesque architecture cast in black volcanic stone.
David Perucchini (3 years ago)
Top
Kamila Červená (4 years ago)
Church built in 12th century, very well preserved and the interior is stunning
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Most beautiful castles in Lithuania
Photo from Flickr, copyright Giåm

Historic Site of the week

Glimmingehus

Glimmingehus is the best preserved medieval stronghold in Scandinavia. It was built 1499-1506, during an era when Scania formed a vital part of Denmark, and contains many defensive arrangements of the era, such as parapets, false doors and dead-end corridors, 'murder-holes' for pouring boiling pitch over the attackers, moats, drawbridges and various other forms of death traps to surprise trespassers and protect the nobles against peasant uprisings. The lower part of the castle's stone walls are 2.4 meters (94 inches) thick and the upper part 1.8 meters (71 inches).

Construction was started in 1499 by the Danish knight Jens Holgersen Ulfstand and stone-cutter-mason and architect Adam van Düren, a North German master who also worked on Lund Cathedral. Construction was completed in 1506.

Ulfstand was a councillor, nobleman and admiral serving under John I of Denmark and many objects have been uncovered during archeological excavations that demonstrate the extravagant lifestyle of the knight's family at Glimmingehus up until Ulfstand's death in 1523. Some of the most expensive objects for sale in Europe during this period, such as Venetian glass, painted glass from the Rhine district and Spanish ceramics have been found here. Evidence of the family's wealth can also be seen inside the stone fortress, where everyday comforts for the knight's family included hot air channels in the walls and bench seats in the window recesses. Although considered comfortable for its period, it has also been argued that Glimmingehus was an expression of "Knighthood nostalgia" and not considered opulent or progressive enough even to the knight's contemporaries and especially not to later generations of the Scanian nobility. Glimmingehus is thought to have served as a residential castle for only a few generations before being transformed into a storage facility for grain.

An order from Charles XI to the administrators of the Swedish dominion of Scania in 1676 to demolish the castle, in order to ensure that it would not fall into the hands of the Danish king during the Scanian War, could not be executed. A first attempt, in which 20 Scanian farmers were ordered to assist, proved unsuccessful. An additional force of 130 men were sent to Glimmingehus to execute the order in a second attempt. However, before they could carry out the order, a Danish-Dutch naval division arrived in Ystad, and the Swedes had to abandon the demolition attempts. Throughout the 18th century the castle was used as deposit for agricultural produce and in 1924 it was donated to the Swedish state. Today it is administered by the Swedish National Heritage Board.

On site there is a museum, medieval kitchen, shop and restaurant and coffee house. During summer time there are several guided tours daily. In local folklore, the castle is described as haunted by multiple ghosts and the tradition of storytelling inspired by the castle is continued in the summer events at the castle called "Strange stories and terrifying tales".

Map Top Sights Tags Historical Periods City Guides About Us Sign Up Upload new site
© 2021 SpottingHistory.com. All rights reserved.