San Bernardino is a Roman Catholic church and convent located on Via Monte Navale in the town of Ivrea. The convent was built between 1455 and 1465 and dedicated to San Bernardino da Siena, who reputedly preached in Ivrea in 1418. The church was completed by 1457. In 1465, the original arches of the Gothic façade was enveloped by new construction, and two of the arches became part of new chapels. By the beginning of the 19th century, the convent had been requisitioned by occupying troops and by 1805, the property was deconsecrated and in 1907 made by engineer Camillo Olivetti into a residence. Between 1955 and 1958, major reconstruction modified the appearance of the convent, to house the headquarters of the social services of the Olivetti company: but restoration work was performed on the church.
The church wall houses the Renaissance fresco cycle of the Life and Passion of Christ (1480–1490) by Giovanni Martino Spanzotti. The work consists of twenty scenes placed around the large panel of the Crucifixion; with central spandrels depicting the Last Judgment and Hell. The pilasters have images of St Bernardino of Siena and Christ as 'Imago Pietatis', and two lateral spandrels depict the Expulsion from Paradise and Purgatory. The frescoes in back of the lateral chapels are attributed to Nicolas Robert, court painter of Amedeo IX of Savoy.
References:Trenčín Castle is relatively large renovated castle, towering on a steep limestone cliff directly above the city of Trenčín. It is a dominant feature not only of Trenčín, but also of the entire Považie region. The castle is a national monument.
History of the castle cliff dates back to the Roman Empire, what is proved by the inscription on the castle cliff proclaiming the victory of Roman legion against Germans in the year 179.
Today’s castle was probably built on the hill-fort. The first proven building on the hill was the Great Moravian rotunda from the 9th century and later there was a stone residential tower, which served to protect the Kingdom of Hungary and the western border. In the late 13th century the castle became a property of Palatine Matúš Csák, who became Mr. of Váh and Tatras.
Matúš Csák of Trenčín built a tower, still known as Matthew’s, which is a dominant determinant of the whole building.