Church of Santa Maria Primerana

{{Infobox church

| denomination = Catholic Church

| name = Church of Santa Maria Primerana

| native_name = {{nativename|it|Chiesa di Santa Maria Primerana}}

| native_name_lang = Italian

| image = Santa Maria Primerana (Fiesole).jpg

| caption = Front façade of the church

| coordinates = {{coord|43.8064|N|11.2935|E|display=inline,title}}

| country = Italy

| location = Fiesole, Tuscany

| founded date = AD 966

| dedication = Saint Mary

| style = Gothic & Mannerist

| diocese = Diocese of Fiesole

}}

The Church of Santa Maria Primerana ({{Langx|it|Chiesa di Santa Maria Primerana}}) is a Roman Catholic church located in the Tuscan town of Fiesole. It encloses the eastern end of Piazza Mino, next to the Praetorian Palace.

History

First mentioned in AD 966, the church was built atop the stylobate of a Roman temple, from which a pietra serena pillar was incorporated into the church's north wall. There is also a Roman {{Langx|la|decumanus|label=none}} running north–south that flanks the church. Moreover, findings of nearby Lombard sepulchres indicates that the church was once an early Christian site. The church occupies a prominent position in Piazza Mino, near the Fiesole Cathedral. Due to an image inside of the Virgin Mary it appears that the church is the site of the oldest instance of veneration of the Madonna in the Diocese of Fiesole, which would form the basis for "Primerana" in the church's name.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fiesoleforyou.it/en/santa-maria-primerana/|title=Santa Maria Primerana|website=Fiesole for You|publisher=Comune di Fiesole|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180218005829/http://www.fiesoleforyou.it/en/santa-maria-primerana/|archive-date=18 February 2018|url-status=live|access-date=17 February 2018}}

Santa Maria Primerana was expanded in the Middle Ages. From this period, the Gothic chancel remains. A new façade was built at the end of the 16th century in the Mannerist style. The interior was decorated with sgraffito decor by Ludovico Buti.{{Cite book|title=Guida d'Italia, Firenze e provincia|publisher=Touring Editore|year=2007|location=Milan|language=it|trans-title=Guide to Italy: Florence and the Province}}{{Cite web|url=http://web.rete.toscana.it/Fede/ricerca.jsp?lingua=inglese|title=I Luoghi della Fede: Chiesa di Santa Maria Primerana|website=web.rete.toscana.it|access-date=17 February 2018}}

The portico, which is constituted by an architrave supported by columns of the Ionic order, dates to 1801.

The interior consists of a single transept room. The high altar was constructed between 1745 and 1767 by Bernardino Ciruini.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fiesole.it/santa-maria-primerana.html|title=Santa Maria Primerana|website=Fiesole.it|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312103750/http://www.fiesole.it/santa-maria-primerana.html|archive-date=12 March 2016|url-status=live|access-date=19 February 2018}} On the altar is a 13th-century tablet by Maestro di Rovezzano, which depicts the Madonna and Child.

In the transept are two marble bas-reliefs by Francesco da Sangallo. One dates to 1542 and is a Self-portrait of the artist; the other dates to 1575 and is a Portrait of Francesco del Fede. Also in the transept is a glazed terracotta from Andrea della Robbia's workshop depicting the Crucifix between the Madonna, St. John, Mary Magdalene and Angels. There is, additionally, a large, painted, wooden crucifix designed in the Giotto school from the 14th-century, which is attributed to Bonaccorso di Cino.

The faded remains of frescoes on the walls are by Niccolò di Pietro Gerini.

Image gallery

{{Gallery|title=Architecture|align=center|File:Fiesole, santa maria primerana 01.JPG|Northwestern corner of the façade|File:Santa Maria Primerana, interno 07.JPG|Dome above the chancel|File:Santa Maria Primerana, interno 05.JPG|High altar|File:Santa maria primerana, porte.JPG|Top of the doors|File:Santa Maria Primerana, interno, organo.JPG|Pipe organ|File:Santa Maria Primerana, interno 01.JPG|Transept}}{{Gallery|title=Artistic embellishments|align=center|File:Andrea della Robbia, Crocifisso fra la Madonna, san Giovanni, la Maddalena e angeli 01.jpg|Andrea della Robbia's crucifix|File:Andrea della Robbia, Crocifisso fra la Madonna, san Giovanni, la Maddalena e angeli 02 teschio.jpg|Base of the crucifix|File:Francesco da sangallo, autoritratto votivo, 1542.jpg|Sangallo's self-portrait relief|File:Francesco da sangallo, Ritratto votivo pgr di Francesco del Fede, 1575.jpg|Sangallo's relief of Francesco del Fede|File:Niccolò di Pietro Gerini, nascita della vergine, 1385-90 ca. 01.jpg|Remains of Gerini's fresco|File:Niccolò di Pietro Gerini, presentazione di gesù al tempio, 1385-90 ca. 01 con ridipinture.jpg|Intact fresco by Gerini|File:Ludovico Buti, graffiti della facciata di santa maria primerana, 04.jpg|Buti's sgraffito above the entrance|File:Niccolò di Pietro Gerini, profeti, 1385-90 ca. 01.jpg|Gerini's ceiling fresco|File:Bonaccorso di Cino, crocifisso di santa maria primerana, 01.jpg|Bonaccorso di Cino's crucifix}}