Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta e San Giacomo Maggiore, Neoclassical parish church in Romano di Lombardia, Italy
Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta e San Giacomo Maggiore is a parish church in Romano di Lombardia with a simple gabled facade topped by statues added in 1783 by sculptor Antonio Gelpi. Its single bell tower, a brick structure dating to the 12th century, predates the church and was once a defensive tower with a vaulted ground-floor room used to hold prisoners. The interior preserves paintings by Giovan Battista Moroni, Jacopo Palma il Giovane, Francesco Capella and Ponziano Loverini.
The church is documented from 1304, when a presbyter represented it at a diocesan synod, and was listed in Bernabò Visconti's 1360 nota ecclesiarum. Rebuilding began on 3 April 1363 and the church was consecrated on 7 June 1364. A new choir was commissioned from Gio Batta Caniana in 1709 and approved in 1713; the church was elevated to prepositural rank on 2 November 1732.
The church displays works by renowned painters like Giovan Battista Moroni and Palma il Giovane, whose paintings decorate the walls throughout the space. An altar designed by architect Giacomo Quarenghi stands as a testament to the artistic quality brought together here.
The church is open daily with regular visiting hours and functions as an active place for the local community. It is wise to check the access times beforehand, as they may vary depending on religious activities.
The single bell tower predates the church and likely goes back to the 12th century, when it served both religious and civic purposes. Guards kept watch from its top and rang the bell to warn of enemies, and a vaulted ground-floor room held prisoners. In 1591 a clock and the gilded Lion of Saint Mark were added, the latter decorated by Aurelio Gatti, who also painted the tower in a canvas.
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