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carolyn hammett | all galleries >> Galleries >> Venice and Small Towns Italy May 2011 > Bologna - San Petronio - Exterior view.jpg
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16-MAY-2011

Bologna - San Petronio - Exterior view.jpg

The basilica of San Petronio, was begun in the late 14th c. in the Gothic style.
The church dominates the South side of Pza. Maggiore. Its plan is adopted, (as were many Christian churches), from
the old Roman basilica floor plan, with a central nave and side aisles.
Interior Gothic rib vaulting shows Northern European influences.
The church is thought to be the 5th largest church in Christendom.

Money ran out before the exterior decoration was completed, and the marbles on the upper facade shown here were never installed. The exterior is now under restoration.

Jacapo della Quercia, a Sienese sculptor, made the relief sculptures surrounding the central doorway with subjects from the Old Testament.
His nudes of Adam and Eve were studied by Michelangelo when he fled to Bologna after his Medici patrons were expelled from FLorence in 1494.
Della Quercia's figures were an inspiration for Michelangelo's "Expulsion" fresco on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

The interior of the basilica is notable for its terracotta coloring, an unusual decorative element not seen in other churches of its era.
The floor of the nave contains a unique "sundial" which records the day of the year, illuminated by sunlight coming through a hole in the roof.
Photos were not permitted inside San Petronio.



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Canon Powershot G12
1/1250s f/5.0 at 8.1mm iso400 hide exif
Full EXIF Info
Date/Time16-May-2011 20:20:59
MakeCanon
ModelCanon PowerShot G12
Flash UsedNo
Focal Length8.1 mm
Exposure Time1/1250 sec
Aperturef/5
ISO Equivalent400
Exposure Bias-0.33
White Balance
Metering Modematrix (5)
JPEG Quality
Exposure Program
Focus Distance3.090 m

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