Church of San Francesco. Gerace

The French invasion of 1806 led to the removal of the friars from the convent and marked the beginning of a long period of neglect and devastation for the San Francesco complex. Although major restoration work was started by the superintendent of the time, Gisberto Martelli, in 1950, little could be done for the convent, which was by then destroyed, and likewise for the cloister, which had already...

The altar dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua is located on the short side of the church, facing west, and is set within a large architectural structure that brings to mind a monumental niche. It appears as an autonomous space designed to accommodate and enhance the sacred image. In the centre is a large rectangular frame, now empty, probably intended to house a devotional image of the saint. Around...

Adjacent to the scarsella is a room containing the solemn marble tomb of Nicola Ruffo, son of the Count of Sinopoli. The sarcophagus, dated to the 14th century, is attributed to a Neapolitan workshop of an unknown author. The marble case is supported by three caryatids, female busts ending in cylindrical elements that serve to support architectural elements. The three figures, featuring wings and...

The rich decoration of the monumental high altar is made of polychrome marble inlays alternating geometric, floral and figurative motifs. The structure is characterised by a marble background in warm ochre and pink tones, on which elegant inlays in shades of black, white and red stand out, creating a refined play of colour contrasts. On the front of the altar is a symmetrical decoration composed o...

The triumphal arch of the presbytery, with its refined marble facing, frames the majestic high altar. As well as being visually connected, the two elements are also united by the same stylistic language: in fact, they reflect the Sicilian-derived Baroque taste that was widespread in the Messina area during the 17th century, forming a unified decorative apparatus. Both feature a precious decoration...

The apsidal area of the Church of San Francesco is one of the most important spaces of the building because it coincides with the presbyterial area, the one designated for the altar and liturgical celebrations. The church has a rectilinear apse, configured as a scarsella, i.e. a space with a quadrangular plan concluded by a straight wall. Access to the scarsella is preceded by a large, slightly po...

The imposing portal of the Church of San Francesco opens along the southern side of the building, an unusual choice but one that has a precise symbolic meaning. The entrance to the nave looks towards the town and the Cathedral, creating an immediate relationship with the political and spiritual centre of the city. The wall on which the portal opens measures approximately 25 metres and is embellish...

The architectural complex of San Francesco consists of several structures: it includes the church, the bell tower and the remains of the former convent founded in 1227 by San Daniele Fasanella of Belvedere, namely the cloister with the well, the portico and a basement room. The church, one of the most important Gothic buildings in Calabria, was built on the remains of an earlier Romanesque structu...

The San Francesco complex, formed by the church and the ancient Franciscan convent, is one of the most important places in the religious and artistic history of Gerace, as well as one of the oldest Franciscan settlements in Calabria. The complex was built in 1252 in the north-west area of the village, near Piazza delle Tre Chiese. The church rests on the ruins of an earlier Romanesque building, wh...

Gerace is a charming medieval village in the province of Reggio Calabria, perched on a sandstone hill more than 470 metres above sea level and about 10 km from the coast. From the heights one can admire the mountains of the Aspromonte National Park on one side and feel the maritime winds blowing in from the Ionian Sea on the other. Its strategic position is closely tied to the history of the coast...