Church of Saints Nazarius and Celsus

Montechiaro d'Asti, Italy

The Church of Saints Nazarius and Celsus is located on the side of a hill called Bric San Nazario and is easily visible in the countryside thanks to its tall bell tower and the chromatic effect due to the alternating stripes of bricks and sandstone. It is an important example of the Romanesque architecture of Montferrat.

It was founded in around 1130 on the site of a previous settlement called Mairano, which was later abandoned in the 13th century. People moved to Montechiaro, which is about 2 km far, and the church went on a slow decline.

In 1847, the building was close to collapse, so it was heavily renovated: the whole church was dismantled except the façade, all the bricks and stones were numbered and catalogued and it was accurately rebuilt, following a process called anastylosis. Other minor restoration processes were carried out in the following centuries.

Comments

Your name



Details

Founded: c. 1130
Category: Religious sites in Italy

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

User Reviews

Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Château de Chantilly

The Château de Chantilly comprises two attached buildings: the Petit Château built around 1560 for Anne de Montmorency, and the Grand Château, which was destroyed during the French Revolution and rebuilt in the 1870s. Owned by the Institut de France, the château houses the Musée Condé. It is one of the finest art galleries in France and is open to the public.

The estate"s connection with the Montmorency family began in 1484. The first mansion (now replaced by the Grand Château) was built in 1528–1531 for the Constable Anne de Montmorency by Pierre Chambiges. The Petit Château was also built for him, around 1560, probably by Jean Bullant. In 1632, after the death of Henri II, it passed to the Grand Condé who inherited it through his mother, Charlotte Marguerite de Montmorency.

Several interesting pieces of history are associated with the château during the 17th century.