Abbey of San Mercuriale, Forlì

Basilica Abbey of San Mercuriale
Religion
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
Province	Forlì
Region	Romagna
Patron	St. Stephen
Location
Country	Italy

TheBasilica Abbey of San Mercurialeis the main religious building inForlì,inRomagna(northernItaly); the rather smallercathedralwas largely destroyed by fire in the 19th century.

History and overview

A first church was built here in the 4th century, dedicated toSt. Stephen.It was destroyed by a fire in 1173. The dedication toSaint Mercurialis,the local martyr and patron, had appeared in the 9th century. In 1176 the edifice was assigned to theVallumbrosan Order.

The current edifice was finished in 1180 inLombard-Romanesque style,along with the famousbell tower.The latter, with its height of 75 m, is one of the tallest in Italy. In the 13th century it was considered one of the marvels of theKingdom of Italy.

The abbey, which once was located outside the ancient Roman city, was included in a new line of walls in that period. In the 15th century the Vallumbrosans' cloister was annexed to the construction: it has a rectangular shape and is decorated by slender columns, with a central well that can still be seen.

Theapseof the church was rebuilt in 1585. Of the same period is also the wooden choir, designed byAlessandro BignifromBergamo.Thefaçadeand the bell tower are inbrickwork.The former is decorated witharcadessupported by columns. The magnificentrose windowover the main portal portrays theEpiphany with Dream and Adoration of the Magi,and is attributed to the so-called Master of the Months, who was active also in thecathedral of Ferrara.

The interior houses numerous works of art. The most famous is the Sepulchre ofBarbara Manfredi,the young wife ofPino III Ordelaffi,lord of Forlì. It was carved byFrancesco di Simone FerruccifromFiesole.The sepulchre was once housed in the church of San Biagio, which was destroyed duringWorld War II.

Other points of interest include:

• Ferri Chapel, with an arcade inIstrianstone by Jacopo Bianchi fromUlcinj,with fine decorations andgrotteschein Lombard style.
• Paintings byMarco Palmezzanoportraying:Madonna Enthroned with Saints John the Evangelist and Catherine of Alexandria,Crucifix with St John Gualbertus and the Magdaleneand theMadonna with Saints Anselm, Augustine and Stephen,one of his finest works.
• Mercuriali Chapel, with stuccoes and frescoes byAntonio Tempestaand others. It houses works byDomenico Passignano,Ludovico Cigoli,Baldassarre Carrari,Santi di TitoandFrancesco Menzocchi.The construction of the chapel was promoted by eminent physicianGirolamo Mercuriali,with his son Massimiliano, to honour the Saints Girolamo and Mercuriale. The chapel was finished in 1606, the same year of the death of Mercuriali who wanted to be buried in it.
• Sacrament Chapel

External links

• The treasures of San Mercuriale in a video by Forlì TV