Bominaco
The Church of Santa Maria Assunta in Bominaco: a jewel of Abruzzo's Romanesque art
The Church of Santa Maria Assunta in Bominaco, a hamlet of the municipality of Caporciano in the province of L'Aquila, is a treasure of Abruzzo's Romanesque art. Built around the 8th century, the church underwent several transformations and restorations over the centuries but still retains the ancient charm that enchants visitors.
History
The Church of Santa Maria Assunta and the Oratory of San Pellegrino were part of a monastery dating back to the early Christian era when, between the 3rd and the 4th century, the place became the burial site of San Pellegrino, martyred in Bominaco by spears. The dating of the Church of Santa Maria Assunta is not certain, but it certainly predates the date of 1180 reported on the pulpit and 1223 reported on the altar.
The first historical sources that mention the church are an imperial diploma of Conrad II the Salic in 1027, a diploma of Henry V of Franconia in 1118, and a bull of Pope Leo IX in 1051. In 1093, the church was dedicated to the Mother of God and San Pellegrino, which suggests a name change for the church, with the name of Maria that later appears on the inscription of the ambo and that of the altar.
In 1902, the Church of Santa Maria Assunta was declared Italian national monuments.
Architecture
Exterior
The Church of Santa Maria Assunta is characterized by a simple facade, made of ashlar curtain stones, with a pinnacle over the central nave and horizontal ones over the lateral naves. On the main portal, one can notice a motif of palmettes and a lion in the center of the architrave. In the center of the pinnacle, there is a charming monofora framed by four bracketed lions.
The church also has a bell tower with two openings, located at the end of the right nave.
Interior
The interior of the church consists of three naves, separated by twelve columns, each one different from the others, supported by round arches. On the left side of the main nave, there is a very particular mereology, composed of a series of openings carved into the wall overlooking an inaccessible underground cavity.
The apses, located at the back of the church, are among the most beautiful in Italy. The central one is the highest of the three, divided by two pilasters into three bays, each with a splayed window, and is decorated at the top with nine small arches. The round arches have a refined decoration of floral motifs. Similar decorations can be found on the splayed window of the left apse, while the one on the right is completely bare.
A treasure of Abruzzo's Romanesque art to discover
The Church of Santa Maria Assunta in Bominaco is one of the most beautiful jewels of Abruzzo's Romanesque art. The richness of architectural details and decorative elements makes it unique, as well as an important reference point for archaeology and history enthusiasts.
It is definitely worth visiting this wonderful Abruzzo monument, not only to admire the beauty of its architecture and decorations but also to immerse oneself in the suggestive atmosphere of the past that still permeates this work of art.
