Fifteenth CenturyFifteenth Century, including the Western façade and the nave up to the transept, are usually attributed to the humanist and architect Leon Battista Alberti, even though he died in Rome a few months before construction began in June 1472.
When was Sant’Andrea Mantua built?
Commissioned by Ludovico III Gonzaga, the church was begun in 1472 according to designs by Leon Battista Alberti on a site occupied by a Benedictine monastery, of which the bell tower (1414) remains.
Basilica of Sant’Andrea, Mantua.
| Basilica di Sant’Andrea | |
|---|---|
| Style | Renaissance |
| Groundbreaking | 1472 |
| Completed | 1790 |
| Website | |
What did Alberti use as the model for the façade of Sant Andrea?
Ancient models
On the façade, four giant pilasters with Corinthian capitals support an entablature and pediment. Together these elements recall the front of ancient temples, such as the Pantheon in Rome.
What city is home to Sant’Andrea and its façade designed by Alberti?
Mantua
Leon Battista Alberti is the symbol of Humanism, and the façade of the Church of Sant’Andrea in Mantua is his masterpiece.
What was the church of Sant’Andrea in Mantua modeled after?
the Basilica of Maxentius
It is likely modeled on the Basilica of Maxentius in Rome. For the first time in Alberti’s architecture the internal arrangement of the building is mirrored in the façade.
What classical structure may have inspired the interior of the Sant’Andrea cathedral?
The architect Leon Battista Alberti adapted the Roman triumphal arch to the church facade of the Basilica of Sant’Andrea in Mantua. It is one of the major works of 15th century Renaissance architecture in Northern Italy.
Where is Sant Andrea?
The Basilica di Sant’Andrea stands in Mantua’s historical center, overlooking the Piazza Mantegna. In the crypt are kept two reliquaries with earth soaked in the blood of Christ.
Who were the popular architects of Renaissance and which famous buildings they designed?
Key architectural elements of Renaissance buildings included columns, pilasters, pediments, entablatures, arches, and domes. The three key Renaissance architects were Filippo Brunelleschi, Leon Battista Alberti, and Andrea Palladio.
What does Alberti use to unify the top and bottom stories in the Santa Maria Novella?
zebra-striping
Alberti’s use of what was referred to as “zebra-striping” (as the green marble was often so dark it appeared black) in architecture assured that the new top portion of the façade would tie into the church’s interior.
How do you identify Renaissance architecture?
The key features of Renaissance architecture are the use of the classical orders, mathematically precise ratios of height and width, symmetry, proportion, and harmony. Columns, pediments, arches, and domes are imaginatively used in buildings of all types.
Who was Saint Andrea?
Andrew (Andrea) Avellino (1521 – 10 November 1608) was an Italian Theatine priest. He is venerated as patron saint of Naples and Sicily and invoked especially against a sudden death.
Andrew Avellino.
| Saint Andrew Avellino | |
|---|---|
| Major shrine | Church of St. Paul, Naples |
| Feast | 10 November |
| Patronage | Naples, Sicily; invoked against sudden death |
What is Andrea Mantua made of?
bricks
Sant’Andrea is built of bricks, though they are mostly concealed by painted stucco. The patron, Ludovico Gonzaga, estimated that at least two million bricks were needed.