MUNICIPALITY: Maiori
NAME: Church and Convent of St. Francis
LOCATION: Seafront
DESCRIPTION: The complex has had a very troubled existence; in fact, built in 1405, it was destroyed in 1435 by the Turks, in 1440 by a storm, and in 1558 again by the Turks.
The church, with three naves and a polygonal apse, has dividing pillars (sixteen), covered with marble, and seventeen chapels belonging to local noble families, containing masterpieces of local and non-local painting.
In 1558 and 1590 extensions to the church were applied, with the increase of the cross vault and the main arch, with the stone decoration of the entrance by Andrea Frezza di Cava. In the apse the oldest structure can be seen; the roof relies on a lunetted (lunettata*) barrel vault.
As for the facade, the one visible now is dated 1938, with the tympanum on the 16th-century portal with a depiction of St. Francis on majolica tiles.
Inside, of interest are the wooden choir decorated by the school of Andrea Sabatino, the 16th-century altar, and the paintings: the Coronation of the Virgin with Saints Anthony and Bernardino by Giovanni da Gaeta, La Deposizione (the Deposition) by Andrea Sabatino, L’Ascensione (the Ascension) by D’Errico, and the Calvary by the Flemish school (1400-1500).
The convent is developed near the church, around the garden.
SEE, VISIT, FIND: The church is open all day. For the convent, it is necessary to contact the friars.
FRUITION DATA: None
BIBLIOGRAPHY:www.aziendaturismo-maiori.it
CAFFARO A. – G. GARGANO, Costiera Amalfitana, guida storico-artistica, Salerno 1979.
CUOMO C., Maiori, La Chiesa di S. Francesco dei Frati minori, Cava d. T. 1969.
