The basilica of San Abbondio - The sacredness of its architecture-
The city of Como, located in northern Italy, in addition to overlooking the splendid lake and being immersed in the peaceful nature of the Alps, tells a lot about the history and culture of a country that has lived through two centuries of civilization and development and which today remains a important economic center. Among the symbolic elements of the religious culture of the city there is the Basilica of San Abbondio, whose name is dedicated to the patron saint of the city, as well as the fourth bishop of Como.
From the outside of the structure it is possible to observe a rather rough style, consisting of a surface covered with stone slabs that highlight the four pilasters on the front facade, through which one enters, through a door without particular architectural details, leaving however or tourists breathless for the magnificent layout of its interior. The element that stands out from the distance is the double bell tower that rise to the height of the apse, which were renovated about two centuries ago. The basilica is dated around 1000 AD. but it was born on the foundations of a previous Christian church, smaller in its dimensions and of which some finds are still preserved such as vases, ornaments found in the sarcophagi of religious figures of the previous centuries.
The basilica is in Romanesque style and consists of a large central nave, flanked by four other smaller naves, ending in a large apse. The marble columns are characterized by capitals representing floral elements, whose apexes intersect with a ceiling of blind arches. The structure is really very impressive and the aisles convey an enlarged sense of depth. The external light filters through single lancet windows which fail to counteract that somewhat dark atmosphere and which offers a sense of solemnity and sacredness of the church, illuminated by artificial lights and candles.
On the walls there are scattered frescoes, some dating back to the fourteenth century but it is the apse that houses an impressive number of paintings having as their subject the life of Christ but also portraits of saints, figures of kings and prophets, apostles, bishops and of the doctors of the Church and a myriad of minor characters, together with animals and fantastic figures of medieval taste. The author of the important cycle of frescoes, conventionally called "Maestro di Sant'Abbondio", is unknown. The apse and its paintings are among the first things that visitors observe when they enter the church,
The floor is in dark stone, made of smooth slabs, and helps to give an increasingly serious effect to the structure. Unlike the typical Christian churches from the sixteenth century onwards, rich in frescoes and gilded ornaments, the basilica of San Abbondio is much simpler with essential decorative elements but retaining a marked sacredness along its entire perimeter. The church continues to be the place of prayer of the local faithful and Holy Mass is celebrated at different times of the day.
Upon leaving the church, the bells rang in an overwhelming way, reverberating throughout the area, a sort of reminder for all those who got lost along God's way.