Every big and small town and village in Italy has a church that this country is famous for. From magnificent cathedrals to small churches, every corner of this beautiful and historic country has a church that has existed for centuries. Although it is difficult to determine the exact number of churches in Italy, some famous churches are definitely not to be missed. If you have received your Italian visa and are planning to travel to this tourist country, make it a priority to visit the famous Italian churches. Visiting churches and monuments is a great way to learn about a country’s past history and culture, so join us in this guide from Turic to introduce you to Italy’s famous churches.
St. Mark’s Basilica, Venice
Saint Mark’s Church is one of the most famous churches in Italy with an amazing Italian-Byzantine architecture. Consecrated in 1093, it is one of the most famous churches in the world and has been the cathedral of Venice since 1807. St. Mark’s was originally built to house the relics of St. Mark the Evangelist. The architecture of the church is a Greek cruciform plan, with a very large dome on top. Each of the four parts of this church is covered with a dome. The altar is also located at the end of the eastern part of the church. The upper floor of the church also has a very magnificent architecture and four beautiful bronze horses of St. Mark are placed in it, which adds to the splendor and beauty of this church.
Church of Santa Maria della Salute, Venice
The Church of Santa Maria della Salute is a Venetian jewel of Baroque architecture and a symbol of the liberation of Venice and Italy from the plague of 1629-1629, which killed 95,000 Venetians. Built on more than 1 million wooden piles, the building was designed by local architect Baldassare Longhena. The most eye-catching feature of this church is the crown-like dome with the statue of the Virgin Mary on top. The altar of the church also has a famous medieval painting of Madonna della Salute. The floor of this church is made of beautifully inlaid marble in geometric shapes. Another part of the Church of Santa Maria has also been turned into a small museum with paintings by Titian and Tintoretto, which we suggest you must visit during your trip to Italy.
Siena Cathedral, Siena
Siena Cathedral is one of the most beautiful churches in Europe and one of the famous churches in Italy, which is covered with white and dark green marble. The walls and floor of this church are decorated with marble, mosaic, sculptures and wall paintings. Visiting the Siena Cathedral is almost like going to an art museum and it is full of amazing works of art from the greatest artists of the Gothic and early Renaissance periods. The Duomo complex consists of six structures in this list: the cathedral itself, the Piccolomini Library, the baptistery, the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, the crypt, and the Facciatone terrace.
St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City
Saint Peter’s Church is the most famous Christian church and one of the famous Italian churches in the Vatican. This church was designed by Bramante, Raphael and Michelangelo and is considered one of the real masterpieces of the Renaissance period, which is full of precious treasures and magnificent decoration. St. Peter’s Basilica was completed after 120 years of construction, the reign of 18 different popes, incalculable costs and the designs of 12 different architects. This church is considered the largest church in the Christian world.
Pantheon, Rome
Undoubtedly, the Pantheon is the best-preserved building from ancient Rome and is recognized as one of the most famous Italian churches in the entire world. The Pantheon was a temple dedicated to all the gods and was built by Augustus’ right-hand man, Marcus Agrippa. In 120 AD, the Pantheon was rebuilt by Hadrian. This church with its granite columns and marble pavements was considered an engineering masterpiece in that period. The Pantheon’s most iconic feature is its spherical dome, which became the model for Michelangelo’s dome for St. Peter’s Basilica and Brunelleschi’s dome for Florence Cathedral. After the fall of Rome, the Pantheon became a Christian church, but its interior, marble and gold were eventually looted in the 7th century. Filled with the tombs of important Romans, including the famous Renaissance artist Raphael, the Pantheon is a great place to visit for art and history buffs.
Florence Cathedral, Florence
The symbol of Florence is the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, which includes the Duomo, the Baptistry, the Giotto Bell Tower and the Duomo Museum, all of which are worth a visit. This church, which is considered one of the famous churches in Italy, is in the Gothic style and is made of brown sandstone and is beautifully decorated with pink, green and white marble. Filippo Brunelleschi’s magnificent dome, built between 1420 and 1436, is very famous, and its burnt orange dome is known as the symbol of Florence.
The interior of this church is decorated with Renaissance frescoes by Giorgio Vasari, a Florentine artist and the world’s first art historian. To see the sights of Florence in one frame, you can climb Brunelleschi’s dome and see the frescoes up close and have stunning views of Florence. Alternatively, you can take in the incredible views of Giotto’s bell tower, which may be the best view in Florence.
Church of Santa Croce, Florence
The Church of Santa Croce is a place for Renaissance art lovers, dating back to 1280. The ancient church houses one of the largest collections of frescoes, paintings, sculptures and tombs. Santa Croce’s works of art include Giotto’s frescoes in the Bardi Chapel and the Prosi Chapel. Paintings by his students Taddeo and Agnolo Gadi can also be seen in this church.
Santa Croce is also the mausoleum of famous Renaissance figures, where you can find the tombs of Michelangelo, Ghiberti, Galileo, Dante and Machiavelli. The Church of Santa Croce also houses the famous Cimabue Cross. The cross was damaged in an accident in 1966, but has been partially restored today. If you also intend to travel to Italy and visit its churches and other historical monuments, you can create a unique experience for yourself by booking a tour of Italy from the Torik tourism website.
Milan Cathedral, Milan
Duomo is the nickname of Milan Cathedral, which is a world famous building and one of the famous churches in Italy. Built over 600 years ago, the church is a magnificent Gothic masterpiece with 135 marble pediments. Milan Cathedral is the fourth largest church in Europe, which was built in 1386 with pink and white marble from Lake Maggiore. This stunning triangular facade, restored in 2002, was added to the architecture of this church during the Napoleonic period. A golden Madonna statue can also be seen on top of this church, which adds more and more glory to it.
Statues, paintings, and coffins of famous Milanese citizens and the statue of Saint Bartholomew are among the famous works of art that you will see in this church. One of the notable features of this famous church is its roof terrace, which can be accessed by stairs or elevator, where you can enjoy the view of the whole city, especially at sunset. If you have received your Italian visa and plan to spend a few days in Milan, the fashion and art capital of the world, do not miss visiting this magnificent church.
Orito Cathedral, Orito
The Oretto Cathedral is one of the most beautiful and famous churches in Italy, the construction of which began in 1290 and includes a series of minarets, tall columns, golden mosaics, statues, stained glass and black and white marble. Inside, the San Brizio Chapel features one of the largest Renaissance fresco cycles by Luca Signorelli. The wall paintings of this church also depict religious themes. In the Oretto Cathedral Museum you can see 2,000 works of art preserved from the church, the best of which belong to Andrea Pisano and Francesco Mucci.
Church of San Francesco, Assisi
Assisi, located in Umbria at the foot of Mount Subasio, was the holy home of Francis, a medieval monk and mystic. The Basilica of San Francisco is dedicated to the most famous Italian penitent saint and houses one of the greatest monuments in Italy, the tomb of St. Francis. This church includes two separate sections for pilgrims and clergy. The Church of San Francesco is another famous church in Italy, which was introduced as a UNESCO site in 2000.
Simone Martini, Pietro Lorentesti, Cimabue, Pietro Cavallini and Giotto and the greatest Renaissance artists came together to decorate this church and created a radical new style of Italian art, replacing the Byzantine style with naturalism. Therefore, viewing the works of art and motifs of this church is not without pleasure.
Church of San Vitale, Ravenna
The Church of San Vitale, completed in 547 and almost 1,500 years old, is Ravenna’s masterpiece. The stunning Byzantine mosaics in this church are reminiscent of heaven. In the upper part of the altar, there is a mosaic depicting Christ the Savior. He is sitting on a sphere that represents the universe. Below him flow the four rivers of heaven. On either side is an angel and Jesus giving a crown to San Vitale and the bishop holding a model of the church.
The paintings and works of art in this church are very magnificent and attract the attention of all visitors. If you are among the people who are interested in the history of the Renaissance and works of art, in addition to visiting the historical churches of Italy, you can visit the historical and tourist attractions of these countries by obtaining a visa for France, Spain, Thailand, or a visa for Canada or the United States from Torik Tourism Collection. Also look closely.
Church of Saint Anthony, Padua
St. Anthony is a very attractive and spectacular 8-domed church built in 1310. This magnificent church combines Byzantine, Romanesque and Gothic styles and displays stunning architecture. St. Anthony’s Church includes a pair of minaret-like bell towers with many decorations and works of art that add to its magnificence and charm. The floor of the church is also decorated with checkered marble stones and its walls with relief motifs from the Renaissance period.
The main treasure of this church is the main altar, where you will find 8 bronze statues of the great early Renaissance artist, Donatello. These statues depict the miracles of Saint Anthony. In front of the cathedral is the famous equestrian statue of Donatello, Gattamelata, the first equestrian statue from antiquity, which represented the revival of equestrian monuments during the Renaissance.
St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Amalfi
St. Andrew’s Cathedral, which was built in the early 1200s, is another one of the most famous churches in Italy, whose exterior and interior are very attractive and spectacular and influenced by the history of the Renaissance. Most visitors go to the crypt of the church for the tombs of St. Andrew the Apostle, the patron saint of Amalfi. This old church, now a small museum, is decorated with medieval frescoes. Located in the tourist town of Amalfi, St. Andrew’s Cathedral houses the tombs of Amalfi’s wealthy citizens and consists of a small courtyard surrounded by porticos of white marble. If you also want to spend your vacation on the Amalfi coast of Italy, don’t miss visiting this church.
Pisa Cathedral, Pisa
Pisa Cathedral is a wonderful example of Pisan Romanesque architecture, which is considered the most ancient cathedral in Italy and is older than the churches of Siena and Florence. The construction of this mansion began in 1063. The facade of this church is decorated with black and white marble strips. The internal plan of the church consists of 5 aisles and a large central nave and two aisles on each side, and the granite columns and arches that separate the aisles are built with ancient Roman architecture. Many Roman inscriptions can also be seen in this church, which the Pisans brought from their conquests and included them in the architecture of the church. In another part of the church you will find mosaics attributed to the great painter of the late 13th century, Cimabue. The most important works of this church are the elaborate Gothic pulpit carved by Giovani Pisano in the early 14th century.
Parma Cathedral, Parma
The beautiful cathedral of Parma is located in Piazza Duomo, next to the pink baptistery, and is considered one of the most famous churches in Italy. The ancient cathedral, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, is one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture in Italy and was built by the heretical bishop Cadalus. This church was destroyed by an earthquake in 1117 and rebuilt again in the 12th century. Parma Cathedral has three tiers of porches and three portals, and its doors were built by Luchino Bianchino in 1494. Inside the cathedral, the plan of the Latin cross can be seen, and the ceiling and walls are painted in Mannerist style. There is also a 16th century red marble staircase inside this church. which leads to the passages where you can see the famous relief by Benedetto Antelami. You can also see Correggio’s beautiful frescoes in the dome of the church, which date back to 1526.
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