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Basilica of San Calimero
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Show an other treasure of art and history in Milan:
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 Mostly represented styles: Baroque - Eclectic
The church of San Calimero is of very ancient origin. Suffice it to say that the bishop of Milan Lorenzo began its restoration at the end of the fifth century.
It originally stood in a cemetery outside the city walls, along the road that led to Rome. Even today the right side of the building contains some walled tombstones, pagan and Christian, from the old cemetery. Following the tradition also San Calimero also was buried in that cemetery.
It is said that Bishop Tommaso had endowed the church with a golden altar like that still exists today in the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio. Unfortunately, however, it became prey of the soldiers of Frederick Barbarossa.
In 1567, during the pastoral visit of Archbishop Saint Carlo Borromeo, the church was in poor condition, after many years of decline. Just after the visit there was a restoration of the church, with also the reconstruction of the crypt and its decoration with frescoes of Fiamminghino, still present.
Shortly after a radical renovation by architect Richino.
Additions and embellishments took place in the eighteenth and early nineteenth century (neoclassical altar).
The Basilica di San Calimero, however, was later overturned by the architect Angelo Colla between 1882 and 1884, who, according to the fashion of that time, removed the evidence of the intervention of Richini and later additions, to return to an alleged medieval purity. Only the crypt was saved as a whole.
What furthermore survived the intervention by Colla are a small fresco (Madonna between two saints, XV century, attributed to Cristoforo Moretti) on the right side of the apse, a Crucifixion by Cerano, and a Nativity of Marco d'Oggiono, although modified. Other medieval frescoes are found in the adjoining sacristy.
The church, as it is now, is not ugly at all. It was, however, obtained at the cost of deleting almost all the ancient elements, certainly of much greater value from the point of view of art history.
In this sense, San Calimero is a case similar to that of the Basilica of Sant Eufemia.
If you are interested in a guided tour of this monument send an email!
Categories: Churches / Religious buildings
Via di S. Calimero 9/11 Milano |
Further pictures of the Basilica of San Calimero in the section Photography |