Sant'Agata Church, Brescia, Italy

A church at the site of Sant'Agata was present by the 8th century, when the neighborhood was located outside the city walls, but after the 1184 fire destroyed the ancient church, it was reconstructed in the 15th-century in Gothic style. Destruction by fire of this church was somewhat paradoxical, since Saint Agatha was the saint invoked for protection against fires. Further modifications were completed along the centuries, leading to a pastiche of styles. The incomplete 14th-century facade has a Renaissance architecture facade, decorated with Baroque statuary.

Inside, the presbytery dates from the 15th century, the ceiling from the 16th century, the altars and fresco decoration from the 1680s, and the chapel of the Santissimo Sacramento is from the 18th century. The main altarpiece depicting Sant'Agata with Saints Peter, Paul, Lucia, Apollonia standing before the cross (1522) is a masterwork by Francesco Prata from Caravaggio.

References:

Wikipedia

Religious sites in Italy

User Reviews

Gianpietro 67 (3 years ago)
Bellissima anche la serata con la soldanella e la voce di Filippo Garlanda

Alessandro Mabellini (3 years ago)
Una delle chiese più belle di Brescia, con una struttura architettonica particolare e ricca di storia! Meravigliosa la pala d'altare di S. Agata... Da visitare!!

Marco Barbieri (3 years ago)
Piccola ma molto bella. Da visitare.

Veronica Bonura (3 years ago)
La chiesa di Sant'Agata si trova nell'omonimo corsetto, a Brescia. L'ultima modifica viene apportata nel 1700 alla facciata, con l'aggiunta di una cornice sopra il portale da Antonio callegari. La facciata é in stile romanico con piccole aggiunte di decorazioni barocche. L' interno é ad unica navata, a pianta longitudinale, completamente affrescata. Le particolarità della chiesa, che la rendono fenomale sono: - che é totalmente affrescata; - la particolarità e la minuziosità dei particolari presenti all'interno. Ne vale veramente la pena visitarla. Ingresso: gratuito. Orari: - giorni feriali: 7:30-11:00 17:00-18:45; - giorni festivi: 9:00-11:30 17:00-19:30.

Silvi B (3 years ago)
Sant’ Agata ovvero : l’interno che non ti aspetti. Entrando dal bellissimo portale del 400 (con sopra statue barocche aggiunte) toglietevi gli occhiali da sole perchè vi ritroverete nel suo buio misterioso..(mai vista una chiesa così buia)da cui solo man mano emergeranno la volta e le pareti interamente affrescate(nel 600) e soprattutto apparirà il magnifico affresco di metà 400 raffigurante il Crocifisso fra un volo di angeli piangenti che domina dall’alto il presbiterio sopraelevato!

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Luiyo

Historic Site of the week

Lorca Castle

Castle of Lorca (Castillo de Lorca) is a fortress of medieval origin constructed between the 9th and 15th centuries. It consists of a series of defensive structures that, during the Middle Ages, made the town and the fortress an impregnable point in the southeast part of the Iberian Peninsula. Lorca Castle was a key strategic point of contention between Christians and Muslims during the Reconquista.

Archaeological excavations have revealed that the site of the castle has been inhabited since Neolithic times.

Muslim Era

It has not been determined exactly when a castle or fortress was first built on the hill. The first written documentation referring to a castle at Lorca is of Muslim origin, which in the 9th century, indicates that the city of Lurqa was an important town in the area ruled by Theudimer (Tudmir). During Muslim rule, Lorca Castle was an impregnable fortress and its interior was divided into two sections by the Espaldón Wall. In the western part, there was an area used to protect livestock and grain in times of danger. The eastern part had a neighbourhood called the barrio de Alcalá.

After Reconquista

Lorca was conquered by the Castilian Infante Don Alfonso, the future Alfonso X, in 1244, and the fortress became a key defensive point against the Kingdom of Granada. For 250 years, Lorca Castle was a watchpoint on the border between the Christian kingdom of Murcia and the Muslim state of Granada.

Alfonso X ordered the construction of the towers known as the Alfonsina and Espolón Towers, and strengthened and fixed the walls. Hardly a trace of the Muslim fortress remained due to this reconstruction. Muslim traces remain in the foundation stones and the wall known as the muro del Espaldón.

The Jewish Quarter was found within the alcazaba, the Moorish fortification, separated from the rest of the city by its walls. The physical separation had the purpose of protecting the Jewish people in the town from harm, but also had the result of keeping Christians and Jews separate, with the Christians inhabiting the lower part of town.

The remains of the Jewish Quarter extended over an area of 5,700 square m, and 12 homes and a synagogue have been found; the synagogue dates from the 14th century and is the only one found in the Murcia. The streets of the town had an irregular layout, adapted to the landscape, and is divided into four terraces. The synagogue was in the central location, and around it were the homes. The homes were of rectangular shape, with various compartmentalized rooms. The living quarters were elevated and a common feature was benches attached to the walls, kitchens, stand for earthenware jars, or cupboards.

Modern history

With the disappearance of the frontier after the conquest of Granada in 1492, Lorca Castle no longer became as important as before. With the expulsion of the Jews by order of Ferdinand and Isabella, Lorca Castle was also depopulated as a result. The castle was abandoned completely, and was almost a complete ruin by the 18th century. In the 19th century, the castle was refurbished due to the War of Spanish Independence. The walls and structures were repaired or modified and its medieval look changed. A battery of cannons was installed, for example, during this time. In 1931 Lorca Castle was declared a National Historic Monument.

Currently, a parador (luxury hotel) has been built within the castle. As a result, archaeological discoveries have been found, including the Jewish Quarter.

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