San Mercuriale abbey, Romanesque abbey in Forlì, Italy
San Mercuriale Abbey stands in Piazza Aurelio Saffi as a major landmark, featuring a bell tower built from red Forlì brick and designed in Romanesque-Lombard style. The building showcases typical features of northern Italian religious architecture from the medieval period.
Construction of the abbey started in 1178 following a fire that destroyed the earlier Santo Stefano church. This rebuilding marked a turning point in the city's religious architecture.
The portal lunette displays an early 13th-century relief depicting the Magi's journey, considered among the first sculpted nativity scenes in religious art.
The abbey is open daily for visits, and the main doors welcome people throughout the day. The bell tower can be accessed on specific occasions, particularly during religious events and celebrations.
Scientific studies from 2019 revealed that San Mercuriale, the abbey's namesake, was between 50 and 60 years old and possibly had Armenian origins. These findings shed light on lesser-explored aspects of early Christian devotion in the region.
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