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San Marco Basilica (Milan, ITALY)

San Marco Basilica (Milan, ITALY)

July 2020 · 3 min read · Milan

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The Basilica of San Marco (St Marks) in Milan is one of the many churches in Europe that double as concert venues due to their impressive acoustics and declining congregation numbers. So, it was concert duties that found me visiting and working in this wealthy northern area of Italy.

The Basilica dates originally from around the 14th century, however, this front section (facade) dates from much later (late 19th century) and showcases a completely different construction and architectural aesthetic than the original Gothic style.

The church is located just outside of the inner ring of Milan, and so it is a bit a short walk (or public transport ride) from where most of the tourist (and shopping) attractions are located.

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The interior is a clearer depiction of the original Gothic style, with high columns and arches. The depth of the church is not really apparent from the outer facade, but the church is incredibly long (as you can see from the photo above). Unfortunately, due to the windows being located quite high up, the lighting in the church is pretty dark (especially in the winter-time which is when I was here!).

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The high arched dome roof was home to some impressive painting and decorations. I would find myself in the rehearsal craning my head upwards to see as much detail as possible!

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The front of the church between the congregation pews and the altar area was converted this evening into a stage for the orchestra and choir which I was working with.... complete with the lighting and recording equipment that was needed for the performance and broadcast.

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Coming closer to the front of the church reveals the ornate altar which is quite common in most Catholic churches. Catholic places of worship tend to be much more ornate than their Protestant cousins, an offshoot of the differing ideals of the Reformation versus the Vatican.

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Despite the fact that most Catholic churches tend to be packed with ornate signs of wealth and artifacts, some of them can be quite questionable in taste. One such strange display was this depiction of the baby Jesus (?)... on an ornately decorated weigh scale? It's a bit freaky looking... and definitely historically inaccurate in so many ways!

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I prefer the various Baroque artworks that adorned the walls... that sort of "treasure" are pieces of art that really speak to me in a more intimate way than the strange artifacts that are treasured by other people. That said, these pieces would benefit from being displayed in a better way with more direct lighting. The dark lighting of the church made them look quite dull...

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The exit to the church is much more impressive looking and tastefully decorated than the Romantic era entrance facade... the difference in styles is a testament to the (unintentially) destructive intentions of the Romantic age, where so many buildings, sites, artworks and instruments were "restored" and "improved" in a way that completely overwrote or destroyed their original aesthetics and design.

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