Basilica of San Maurizio, Pinerolo, Italy

A church at the site of current Basilica of San Maurizio is documented since 1078, when the bishop of Turin, Cuniberto, acknowledges the donation of this and other churches to a monastery in Pinerolo.

The documents also refer to an arduous major reconstruction starting in the 1440s and completed sometime in the early 17th century, when the nave was finally roofed. The new church was reconsecrated in 1635. Sometime around 1665, damage to the church was caused by lightning strike, but even more dramatic an explosion near the monastery of St Clare in Pinerolo killed 400 townsfolk, who were initially brought to the church awaiting burial. The mass of cadavers led to a closure of the church. In 1691, the church was used to store grain in expectation of a siege of the town. Some damage occurred to the church during a siege two years later.

The bell-tower, dating 1336, was built in a Romanesque style. The interior of the church contains frescoes depicting the Ascension of Christ by Giuseppe Antonio Petrini and the main altarpiece canvas depicting the Birth of the Virgin by Claudio Francesco Beaumont. The church was again restored in 1897, including frescoes by Gabriele Ferrero. The church has numerous side chapels. It was raised to a minor basilica in 2002.

References:

Wikipedia

Religious sites in Italy

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Николай Ветров (3 years ago)
Silent & Excellent place

Dominique Laura Rens (4 years ago)
The opera songs are wonderful, from a Woman with a golden opera voice. Congratulations! One of the best and most responsable churches in the neighborhood. Feels good here. Guess this is mine for the future.

Franca Cutri (5 years ago)
Peaceful

valerio g (6 years ago)
One of the best views in Piemonte. Fantastic

Umesh Guruji (6 years ago)
Very nice place you look all pinerolo by here .

Basilica of San Maurizio

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