San Maurizio (Mantua)

Church of San Maurizio
Facade
Religion
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
Location
Location	Mantua, Italy
Architecture
Type	Church
Style	Baroque
Completed	18th century

San Maurizio is a domed Baroque, Roman Catholic church designed by Antonio Maria Viani, and located on Via Chiassi, Mantua, Italy. It was once called ‘’Santi Maurizio e Margherita’’.

History

The church was consecrated in 1616, as part of an adjacent Theatine convent. The present façade was constructed in 1731. During the Napoleonic occupation, it was given the satirical name of St Napoleon. After Austrian rule of the region, the church became attached to the parish of Santa Barnaba. Damaged during the Second World War, the church has been closed from 1957 to 2007, when it was opened for worship only on the day of Virgo Fidelis. The first chapel on the left contains the tomb of Giovanni dalle Bande Nere. It is also open for viewing of artworks on certain days. The tomb of Giulio Romano was lost during reconstructions of the past centuries.

Principal art works

Presently the church still contains the following works of art.

• Martyrdom of St Margaret (1616) by Ludovico Carracci.
• Exaltation of the Cross by Frans Geffels.
• Annunciation by Jacopo Borbone.
• Martydom of Santa Felicita by Lorenzo Garbieri (1580-1654).
• Murder of the children of Santa Felicita by Lorenzo Garbieri.
• Seven large canvases in the presbytery painted by the Flemish artist Jacob Denys, including an Apparition of Madonna and Child to Saints Margaret and Maurice and Blessed Theatines.
• Madonna with Child, and Saints Maurice and Margaret by an unknown artist.

External links

Media related to San Maurizio (Mantua) at Wikimedia Commons

Further reading

• Roberto Brunelli, Gianfranco Ferlisi, Irma Pagliari and Giuseppina Pastore Arte fede storia. Le chiese di Mantova e provincia, Edizioni Tre Lune, Mantova (2004)