Chiesa delle Croci, Baroque church in Foggia, Italy.
Chiesa delle Croci is a Baroque church in Foggia featuring a Latin cross layout with a single nave flanked by two side chapels, along with five additional chapels and a triumphal arch. The architectural design combines classical religious forms with decorative elements typical of this period.
The church was built in 1693 on the spot where the Capuchin friar Antonio da Olivadi had planted seven crosses along a penitential procession, held to ward off the famine caused by drought in the Tavoliere delle Puglie; tradition says a storm broke over the city at the end of the route. Two of the crosses were later removed to make room for the church.
The church holds a painting from the Neapolitan school depicting the journey to Calvary, alongside a relic of the Holy Cross. These artworks reflect the religious devotion that has been practiced here across generations.
The church sits at the end of ancient pastoral routes connecting L'Aquila to Foggia and Celano to Foggia, which were used during seasonal livestock migration. Access to the building is relatively straightforward since it occupies a historically important location.
The crypt beneath the church holds the remains of soldiers from World War I, and tradition says the Carbonari of the Daunia met there during the Risorgimento. The sources do not mention a museum of popular religiosity, so the space is best described by these two uses.
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