Abbey of Sant'Antimo

The Sant 'Antimo abbey is located ten kilometers south of Montalcino, in the Tuscan province of Siena and is a canonry of Norbertine Canons.

History

The abbey was founded by Benedictine monks in the 8th century - on the initiative of Charles the legend after the Great gratitude before deliverance from the plague - expanded steadily and in the following centuries.

1118 has started with the construction of the present church. A year earlier, a massive earthquake in northern Italy had destroyed numerous buildings that were subsequently renewed on the old foundations. In the churches at times the apse and the crypt had received.

The monastery quickly grew in influence. From the 10th to the 12th century, the area was ruled Montalcino to the Maremma of the abbots of the monastery. As sovereigns, while imperial officials drove also the taxes, but despite this initial prosperity and massive spending on the construction of Sant 'Antimo was never as big as other Carolingian monasteries.

The decline began with the awakening quest for power Siena, Montalcino, the crack itself in 1200. Over the following decades, the possession of the monastery shrunk to one-fifth. The church was never fully completed in the subsequent period, as the elaborate construction likely to exceed the financial possibilities of the abbey. One indication of the decline is amongst the unfinished facade.

The main reason for the declining influence also were changed religious beliefs. At the expense of the Benedictine strengthened the then new Order of the Franciscans and Dominicans, whose monasteries were built not in solitude, but on the edges of cities to be the proclamation of justice to order. The Benedictine desire to follow the rule of ora et labora in seclusion, was pushed into the background.

The device connected to the Church Benedictine monastery was abolished in 1462. In 1979, repopulated by Augustinian canons who followed the example of the Premonstratensian from France, the monastery is now a popular meeting place for scouts mainly from Italy and France. Recently, Sant 'Antimo is a canonry of the Order of Premonstratensian canons.

Church building

The powerful, built of travertine church is in its architecture the monasteries in Burgundy than to the buildings of Tuscany and northern Italy. At many places you can see French models. The ambulatory with its wreath of chapels and secluded location witness for example the influence of the famous French monastery of Cluny. We should also mention the strikingly similar Church of Vignory in Champagne.

Although Sant'Antimo was built shortly after the last church in Cluny ( 1088), is here, however, to find from the local splendor little. Instead prevails an almost Cistercian seeming simplicity. Remarkable are also some elements of Lombardy - clearly visible on the tower, but also in the interior, where pilasters divide the walls and a transept is missing.

The narrow nave impresses with its height of 20 meters. The steepness of the Interior and supports change in triple rhythm are unusual in Tuscany. Also highly unusual for Italian standards is the rise of narrow lap over the arcade. Italian churches from this period have the arcades no openings, but a wide wall surface could be applied to the frescoes or mosaics.

The apse also shows structure forms from northern Europe with the superior powerful half-columns on high pedestals and with the Konsolsteinen in the form of animal heads.

The capitals of the pillars of the nave are decorated with ornaments. Notwithstanding a nature is the famous capital of the second column to the right with the motif of Daniel in the lions' den. It is the Master of Cabestany, a sculptor from the French Languedoc attributed. This representation of Daniel in the lions' den was extremely common in the Christian Middle Ages capitals and illustrates typically the power of faith against seemingly overwhelming opponents.

The main door dates from around 1250. Originally a double portal was planned, but the other half was used for the church of Santa Maria Assunta in San Quirico d' Orcia. A capital of the façade shows how even the lintel in San Quirico d' Orcia, a motif that rather belongs to the German or French Romanesque. The lintel shows a symmetrical arrangement of hybrid creatures with an eagle head and a lion's body. In the laterally adjacent image fields also find mythical creatures ( cf. San Quirico d' Orcia ) - a mixture of snake with wings and a crocodile or dog's head. The side panels show the decorations that refer to German models. Especially decorative side is the portal of the south side, which on both sides and lintel shows each different forms.

Right of the presbytery is the so-called Carolingian chapel, one of the few remnants from the period ( 8th century ), from the outside clearly visible on the rough-hewn stone.

At Campanile is the most important external relief of Sant 'Antimo, the " Madonna of the Evangelists " from the early 12th century, an archaic and strict composition from a time than in northern Europe the great period of cathedral sculpture had already started - for example with the Royal Portal of Chartres to 1145th

Gallery

Crucifix

Construction of the nave wall

Frescoes

Remains of the cloister

Nave

Looking into the sanctuary

Light Games

Crypt