Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Steccata

The Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Steccata is a greek-cross design Renaissance church in central Parma, Italy.

History

By 1392, the site held a small oratory to shelter a miraculous image of St. John the Baptist and was neighboring a religious confraternity that had an equally miraculous image of the Virgin and child on the facade. The popularity of the icons led to the construction, starting in 1521 and using plan by Bernardino and Giovanni Francisco Zaccagni with modifications by Giovan Francisco d' Agrate. The church was finally consecrated in 1539. The sacristy was rebuilt over the following centuries [ [http://www.santuari.it/steccata/menustoria.asp Story of construction] ] .

Interior decoration

The interior was decorated by prominent artists, both local and foreign to Parma. The Baroque altar in the choir was begun by Mauro Oddi and completed in 1758-1765 by Andrea and Domenico della Meschina. In the sacristy and presbytery, many of the fresco figures and decorations were painted or planned by a young Parmigianino [ [http://www.santuari.it/steccata/davidp12.asp Parmigianino frescoes] ] . Michelangelo Anselmi painted a large fresco in the apse of the "Coronation of the Virgin with Saints" (1541) [ [http://www.santuari.it/steccata/incoronazionep10.asp Anselmi fresco] ] and a later "Adoration of the Magi".

Other artists include Bernardino Gatti, who frescoed part of the ceiling. The dutch painter Jan Soens painted a "Holy family". Giambettino Cignaroli painted a "Trinity with Saints Niccolò, Basilius, and Gregory". A somewhat retrograde mannerist "Madonna and Bambino, with Saints Joseph & George" was painted by Marcantonio Franceschini in 1718. A mannerist "Redeemer with St. Anthony of Padua and the Magdalen" was painted by Girolamo Mazzola Bedoli, based on a commission from 1605 for the price of 60 ducats and 76 soldi [ [http://www.santuari.it/steccata/redentorep26.asp Mazzola Bedoli] painting] . The Parmesan painter Aurelio Barili painted frescoes in 1588.

The church contains funeral monuments of Bertrando Rossi, Ottavio Farnese, Sforzino Sforza, and Adam Albert von Neipperg.

In the crypt are the tombs of twenty-six members of the Farnese family including Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma and his wife Infanta Maria of Portugal. In a niche is a crystal urn containing the heart of Charles III, Duke of Parma.

References

External links

* [http://www.santuari.it/steccata/default.asp Homepage]