Bologna San Niccolo degli Albari
San Niccolo degli Albari Photos
About San Niccolo degli Albari
The actual façade of this church which was reconstructed in 1689 is attributed to Nicola Barelli.
Above the entrance is this beautiful 17th century terracotta scene of a child standing next to a towering figure of an archbishop, possibly Bolognese. In 1825 the church was again restored.
The legend of this church places the foundation of San Nicolo degli Albari around the 4th century making it one of the oldest churches in the city of Bologna. However, the first news of any certainty arrives only much later in the 12th century when this became a parish church.
Along each side are 3 chapels each dedicated to the memory of a saint. And also at each chapel almost at ground level are many reliquaries stored in gold plated or fine silver cases. Between the second and third chapels is a stone tablet in memory of Don Carlo Antonio Rossi born 1700 and died 1754. He was a noted artist and had worked diligently on the church of Metropolitana di San Pietro in Via Independienza.
Above the main altar here is a painting of Sant’Antonio from 1690 by Giuseppe Maria Crespi entitled ‘The Temptation of St Anthony’. Looking towards the back of the church is the ancient organ high up in the balcony. Back along the other side more paintings are on display from various artists as well as a host of reliquaries.
The name of Albari is without doubt associated to the Albari family who either lived next door or perhaps even at the back of this building and as such it was therefore probably also donated by them for religious worship. Neither would it have been unusual for them to have intended it as a private oratory although this much has not been indicated.
At the beginning of the 1800s it was taken off the parish church register although it remained and still is in effect opened to the faithful. Mass though is usually offered in the near by Metropolitana di San Pietro.