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Church of San Gottardo at the Court
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Show an other treasure of art and history in Milan:
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 Mostly represented styles: Gothic - Renaissance
The Church of San Gottardo in Corte (at the Court) was built in 1336 by Azzone Visconti. Gotthard was the saint who was invoked by those who suffered from the disease of gout, a problem that apparently had also just Azzone.
The church has a single nave which narrows to the north, at the sacristy and the base of bell tower. The southern end corresponds instead to the polygonal apse.
The most striking features of the church are represented by the great bell tower, stylistically related to the one of the Abbey of Chiaravalle and the Torrazzo of Cremona, and the absence of the facade, or rather its cancellation following the transformation of the Royal Palace by the Piermarini in 1770. As a result of this transformation the entrance was moved to one side, into which were inserted the door and the rosette.
In the bell tower Azzone Visconte let insert one of the first watches in Milan, so that the underlying district was therefore named street of the hours. It is characterized by a an architectural combination of materials and colors, terracotta and marble, used in the frames to interlaced arches that mark the lower floors of the tower and the top of the columns.
In 1929 a fresco by Giotto school depicting a crucifixion was discovered at the base of the bell tower, on the wall in front of which a chapel had been built built and later destroyed. It was detached and reattached within, on what was originally the counterfacade.
The fresco is unfortunately now quite run down, but you can still appreciate the expressiveness of the faces of the people depicted.
Of great artistic value, but it also unfortunately no longer intact (the tabernacle that surmounted went largely lost) is the monument to Azzone Visconti, made in his year of deat (1339) or shortly thereafter. It is attributed to the workshop of Giovanni Balducci, the same that produced the Ark of San Pietro Martire in Portinari Chapel.
The church contains the painting of San Carlo Borromeo in Glory by Giovan Battista Crespi, canvas of extraordinary importance originally placed on the high altar.
On the left wall of the nave there is an altar with the painting of the Assumption into Heaven by Giuliano Traballesi.
In front, on the right side, the painting of Saint Gothard Bishop by Martin Knoller.
In back of the church (almost opposite the entrance) there is the altar of Our Lady of the Missing, modern work in silvered copper by Romano Rui.
The three stained glass windows of the apse, made in the twentieth century, show stories of the religious orders of the Benedictines and Dominicans.
The church has just been reopened to the public after a strong restoration. The interiors appear broadly simple and linear, with the ceiling decorated with sober neoclassic decorations and the environment is very bright.
Originally, before being distorted in the eighteenth century, they were instead richly decorated with frescoes, gilding and inlays of precious stones.
If you are interested in a guided tour of this monument send an email!
Categories: Churches / Religious buildings
Via Francesco Pecorari, Milano |
Further pictures of the Church of San Gottardo at the Court in the section Photography |