Basilica of Sant'Andrea, Mantua

The Basilica of Sant'Andrea is a designed by Leon Battista Alberti church in Mantua, Italy.

History

Ludovico Gonzaga gave in 1470 at a church in Alberti order, which should provide a suitable place for the worship of a Holy Blood relic. Alberti drew for the design of the floor plan of Sant'Andrea on an ancient Roman structure, the wall. He chose as a model for the ground plan of a so-called " Etruscum sacrum ," a sanctuary of the Italic antiquity. The aisles of the nave of the basilica replaced Alberti through a series of chapels, which was a momentous change for the church of the late Renaissance and the Baroque. Alberti, who strongly grappled with the ancient architecture, aimed at a monumental effect, which should come close to its historical role models. He derives the powerful coffered barrel vault of the Basilica of Constantine. In the facade, he combines the ancient temple front with a triumphal arch with flat pilasters instead of the usual columns.

The first phase ran from 1472 to 1494 Alberti no longer experiences the completion of the church in 1514. ; he already died in the year of commencement.

The present shape with crossing and drum dome was built in the 18th century. Alberti planned probably in its original planning the nave degree with a semi- circular apse and the nave was so clearly staged as in the present form. Architect of completion and the dome in the 18th century was Filippo Juvarra.

In the church there are paintings and the grave of the Renaissance painter Andrea Mantegna.

Organ

On the side of the gallery is an organ, which was built in 1850 by the organ builder Fratelli Serassi (Bergamo ). The instrument has registers on two manuals ( key range: up to c5) and pedal, the tracker action are mechanically ..