The other day, a fellow student and I enjoyed a lovely hike outside of the city walls to the exquisite gem that is the church of San Biagio.
But first, this:
The Tempio di San Biagio is considered by many to be one of the most significant architectural expressions of the Italian Renaissance. It was built on the site of an old church (architect, Antonio da Sangallo il Vecchio) dated to 1518. It has a provocative isolation, being outside of the city walls, which makes the aesthetic 'reading' of the church so much more compelling. The exterior is travertine and the overall visual impact of the church is very moving. It has that elegance and Renaissance 'muscularity' that I love so much.
You approach the church via a road of cypresses. At the base of each tree is a small marble plaque, printed with the name and date of a local man who fought and died in World War I.
As I mentioned previously, San Biagio was built on the site of an older church. Why? Because a miracle happened in that church. And it involved this painting:
Here is a better image from the internet:
Apparently, two local girls witnessed Mary's eyes moving, following them as they walked around in the church..... FABULOUS!!!
The central plan of the church is an inscribed cross. There is a perfect center, directly under a marvelous dome. The acoustics are remarkable. In this video I walk around a bit (and yes, Mary's eyes were following me) and then I step in the center and clap. Listen to the wonderful echo!! However, if you step outside the circle to listen to someone else clap in the center, you can't hear the echo.
And in the evening, a truly wonderful dinner with fellow students:
Exquisite!!
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