Photos of the Romanesque Santa Maria Maggiore Tuscania

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Photos of the Medieval Romanesque Santa Maria Maggiore Tuscania Architecture & Art. Photos by photographer Paul E Williams.  (TIP – use the icons below the slideshow for thumbnail photos and info)

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Photos of the Romanesque Santa Maria Maggiore Tuscania Architecture & Art

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Photos of the Romanesque Basilica Church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Tuscania.

Consecration of Santa Maria Maggiore Tuscania

The Basilica Church of Santa Maria Maggiore was built as a Romanesque Basilica.  Consecration date to 1206, the church has been reconstructed occasionally over the centuries.

In 852 Pope Leo IV issued a Papal Bull to the Bishop of Tuscania, Urbano, to build a new church. The Basilica Church of Santa Maria Maggiore was duly built on the foundations of an earlier church which dated back to the 7th century.

12th Century Alterations

In the 12 century Santa Maria Maggiore was given a makeover with a new facade incorporating elements of the earlier Romanesque church mixed with later earl Gothic architecture. The main portal of the Basilica Church of Santa Maria Maggiore is probably rebuilt from an earlier Romanesque doorway.

The Lunette above the central portal has sculptures in a Romanesque style is above a later style lintel. In the centre of the Lunette is a depiction of the Madonna with child making a blessing. To its left is a Bas relief of Abraham about to slaughter Isaac. To the Lunettes right is the Angus Dei, Lamb of God, depiction.

The central portals door pillars have sculptures of St Paul and St Peter. A line of simple pillars standing on lions sculptures, support the portals simple archivolts that radiates in a semi circle.

The left hand portal also shows signs of Romanesque Norman-Sicilian influences with decorative geometric archivolts.

Early Gothic Rose Window

The Rose window comes from the early Gothic rebuild which saw the church reconsecrated on October 6th 1206. The Rose window of Santa Maria Maggiore is above a simple Loggia with Griffins at each end. They are rather gruesomely holding decapitated mens heads.

Last Judgement Fresco

The interior has a fine 14th century fresco of the Last Judgement. Rather well preserved, it is attributed to Gregory and Donato D’Arezzo.

Around the apse wall are earlier Byzantine style frescoes of the Apostles.

The altar has a rare early Gothic stone canipe with frescoes on the inside of its roof.