In Naples, part of the facade of the 17th-century church of Santa Maria del Rosario alle Pigne, a 1690-1693 masterpiece by architect Arcangelo Guglielmelli (Naples, 1648 - 1723), has collapsed. It is a very important work because of the uniqueness of the statue of the Madonna and Child arranged within a niche decorated with Bernini-style curtains. The collapse occurred this morning and affected the entire left side: it was caused by the collapse of the floor of a building adjacent to the church.
According to initial analyses, the collapse, which started from the attic, affected both the building and the left wing of the church. State and local police immediately responded to the scene. No injuries were reported at the moment, only damage to parked cars and motor vehicles, which were submerged in debris. The church, which is located in Piazza Cavour, in the heart of Campania’s capital city, and is also known as the “church of the Rosariello,” had been closed following the 1980 Irpinia earthquake, and restoration work did not begin until 1997. The building was only reopened for worship in 2017, but without the church having undergone complete restoration, so much so that the facade itself still had problems.
Left: The Rosariello church (Google photo), right: the collapse (photo @fraba1965 via Instagram)
Naples, partial collapse of the facade of the Rosariello, an important 17th century church |
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