Bologna Ss. Annunziata Church
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Ss. Annunziata Church Photos
About Ss. Annunziata Church
In 1304 Armenian monks founded a church on this spot. In 1475 it passed to another group of religious devotees who restructured the buildings. In the 17th century it was once more redesigned and a bell tower was erected in 1690.
Along this long corridor of porticoes are 15th century frescoes. Most of the 16 in total were restored in 1952, some being beyond repair. Giacomo Lippi painted most of them.
This first lunette represents the life of Maria from birth to heaven. Under each painting there is an inscription which most actually miss now. It’s meant to explain the above fresco and is thought to have been done by Rodolfo Campeggi. There’s also one from 1619 representing the adulation of Christ by Paolo Carracci but not shown here.
Along these porticoes is the entrance for the Caserma, otherwise known as a military police station. This follows the usual 19th century historic line of the state taking control and then letting the Church back in but only to share the grounds. This was also the first of two cloisters in this area.
Just next to the door is this wonderful marble water font. A jungle cat with its prey sits at the foot of the bowl. There are 13 stain glass windows all along the nave of which the last two are oval. 11 represent Franciscan monks.
This chapel next to the main altar displays a painting called La Pala dei Martiri Cinesi – The sword of the Chinese martyrs. Its quite graphic and shows monks being massacred while above it is Christ on the cross. At the bottom are 8 Franciscan icons.
This rose window which seems to explode with intense colours was done by Polloni di Firenze.
On the vault of the presbytery are frescoes by Angelo Bigari and Davide Zanotti in 1700. It was also touched up in the deteriorated parts by Lambertini. The painting behind the main altar seen here is called the Madonna Annunziata and attributed to Francesco Albani done between 1578-60.
This perimeter of wooden seats of the choir from 1908 cost 2,500,000 pounds and paid for by Count Antonio Masetti Zanelli.
Along the right hand side of the nave moving away from the altar is this large 16th century fresco on canvas. It measures 4.5m x 3.5m. It represents a battle scarred scene and was completed by either Bartolomeo Passerotti or Biagio Pupini. It’s reputed to have arrived from a church of Carmelite Monks and as can be seen has also lost much of its lively colours over time.
Finally this monument dedicated to the memory of a doctor from Parma Giambattista Teodosio who died 1538. It’s the last one that exists here after the total renovation of the church.
Around the side of the church is the entrance to the second cloister which is still inhabited by the Franciscan Order.
In this quiet little court yard is another memorial to the three monks who were killed in China in 1900. The larger plants here are housed in beautiful terracotta pots dating to the middle 1900s.
This ancient well made from sandstone and which dates to the 15th century had been demolished and left in a pile. Thanks to some patient work though it was finally rebuilt and now complements the serene environment of the cloister.