Santa Maria alle Pertiche, Religious structure in Pavia, Italy
Santa Maria alle Pertiche was a church in Pavia featuring a circular floor plan enclosed by an ambulatory with six columns and a tall dome at its center. The building combined classical architectural elements in an unusual design for a medieval church.
Queen Rodelinda, wife of Lombard King Pertarito, founded this church in 677 outside the city walls of Pavia. It was built during the period when Lombard nobility established important religious structures across their territories.
The name comes from the pertiche, wooden poles topped with bird figures that once marked a Lombard burial ground on this site before the church was built. This blending of pagan and Christian traditions reflects how communities transitioned their sacred spaces during the early medieval period.
Two original columns from the church are now displayed in the Civic Museum of Pavia, while additional columns decorate the Porta Milano city gate. To understand the original architecture, visiting the museum is helpful since the remains are shown with explanatory materials.
Leonardo da Vinci sketched this church's layout in his Atlantic Codex during his time in Pavia around 1490. These drawings represent one of his lesser-known architectural studies and reveal his interest in classical design principles.
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