San Pietro, Perugia

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San Pietro is the name of a church and an abbey in the city of Perugia (Umbria), central Italy.

1 History
2 Buildings
3 See also
4 References

[edit] History

The monastery was created around 996 over a church existing since the early 7th century, although the first document citing the abbot is from 1002.

In the following centuries the abbey increased greatly its power, until in 1398 it was burnt by the Perugini, as the abbot Francesco Guidalotti had taken part in the plot against Biordo Michelotti, chief of the popular party. The monastery reflourished with Pope Eugene IV, who united it to the Congregation of St. Justine of Padua, maintaining a position of prestige and power in the city.

The abbey was temporarily suppressed by the French in 1799. The monks had aided the Perugine revolt of 1859 against the Papal government, and, after the Unification of Italy, the new government allowed them to remain in the Abbey.

[edit] Buildings

The belltower seen from the cloister

The monastery is preceded by a 15th century gate designed by Agostino di Duccio. The latter introduces to a monumental facade with three arcades, designed around 1614 by the Perugine architect Valentino Martelli: the first cloister is also by Martelli, with the second floor completed by Lorenzo Petrozzi.

The entrance of the church is on the left side of the cloister. Remains of the facade of the ancient basilica can be seen on the left and the right of the 15th century portal, with a portico including some frescoes from 14th and 15th centuries. The polygonal belltower, on the right of the portal, was rebuilt in the latter century with Florentine-Gothic lines (basing on a design by Bernardo Rossellino).

The interior has a basilica plant, with a nave and two aisles. It has the most important collection of art pieces in Perugia, after the Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria. The nave is lined by aracde on antique columns, probably coming from Roman constructions. The upper part is decorated with canvas depicting scenes from the Ancient and New Testaments, commissioned by Abbot Giacomo da San Felice da Salò and completed in 1591-1611. They were executed in Venice by Antonio Vassillacchi, a pupil of Paolo Veronese and Tintoretto. Also by Vassillacchi is the great cavas on the counter-facade, with the Triumph of the Benedictine orders.

Other art pieces include works by Ventura Salimbeni, Eusebio da San Giorgio, Orazio Alfani, copies from Perugino, Girolamo Danti (sacristy, 1574), Giovanni Lanfranco, Mino da Fiesole (a marble with Young Jesus, St. John the Baptist and St. Hyeronimus, in the Vibi Chapel), a Jesus in the Orchard attributed to Guido Reni,, two grand canvas by Giorgio Vasari, and a Pietà of Sebastiano dal Piombo's school. Directly by Perugino's hands is a series of Saints in the sacristy, once part of the Ascension altarpiece now in the Museum at Lyon (1496), which once decorate the main altar of the church.

The main feature of the presbytery (rebuilt by Martelli and decorated with pieces of arts mainly from late-16th century) is the wooden choir, considered one of the most beautiful in Italy. It was begun by Bernardino di Luca Antonini in 1525-26, and completed by Stefano di Antoniolo Zambelli, from Bergamo, in 1535. Particularly noteworthy is the central door, with a relief portraying the Annunciation and Moses Saved from the Water (1536).

The Abbey has two more cloisters: one, called Chiostro Maggiore, is a Renaissance architecture attributed to Guido da Settignano, another, also known as Chiostro delle Stelle, is from 1571.

In front of the Abbey is the Giardino del Frontone, a former parade square of Braccio da Montone rebuilt into a garden by the Alessi family from the 18th century.