Thursday 21 May 2009

What to see: Basilica of San Carlo al Corso, Milan







Built between 1839 and 1847 the Basilica of San Carlo al Corso in Milan is often counted as the last work of Italian neoclassicism. The church is the work of the local architect Carlo Amati and it replaced the 14th century church of Servi di Santa Maria.
Like many neoclassical churches San Carlo was inspired by the Pantheon in Rome and has a circular floor plan and a cupola. The dome is as large as church itself, with a diameter of 32.3 m. Its height is 36.9 m and it is built without the aid of framework.
The church’s rotunda is encircled by 22 Corinthian columns. The Piazza San Carlo outside is likewise framed by 36 Corinthian granite columns.
The first five pictures show the exterior of the church and the Piazza, the sixth shows the cupola as seen from the roof of the nearby Milan Cathedral and the seventh the high altar.

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