Chiesa di Santa Maria della Vita
Chiesa di Santa Maria della Vita
Chiesa di Santa Maria della Vita
4.5
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Neighbourhood: Santo Stefano
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1,615 within 5 kms
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535 within 10 kms
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- scvroseFiddletown, California1,105 contributionsA must seeNot a large church, but the artwork and sculptures are amazing. Make sure you pay to see the upper floor and the statues near the front. Amazing works, so lifelike. We just stopped and stared. You must see The Lamentation.Visited May 2023Travelled with familyWritten 3 July 2023
- JJJC_Family810 contributionsWe only went here because it was close to where we had dinner. Glad we did.From the outside, this church does not look like much. Get inside and it’s much. It’s an impressive, attractive and tasteful interior. And if you go upstairs you will find a collection of fairly bizarre statues that nonetheless are extremely intriguing and represent great talent. I can’t lie to you that I did not spend a considerable amount of tome looking at it. I did. What makes this church so different than almost all others I have seen is the juxtaposition of a pretty conservative, traditional, even restrained appearance for the main part of the church and even the room that the statues occupy and with this truly jarring, avant-garde exhibition in the same church. Strangely, I respected that decision to combine the two. Somehow, it worked on a spiritual and artistic level. It’s not new and apparently it is famous. I think you owe to yourself to check it out.Visited April 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 17 July 2023
- macedonboyGlasgow, United Kingdom179,694 contributionsBeautiful Baroque and Rococo Style ChurchThe Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Vita is a Baroque and Rococo style church in the historic centre of Bologna. A church has been here since the 13th century, although the current church was only built in the 17/18th century. The church has an elliptical plan, topped with an elliptical dome. The interior is very compact with chapels surrounding the nave in close proximity. Each chapel is designed with a Baroque painting as its centrepiece, but mainly with rococo style mouldings. The one exception is the Chapel of St. Rita (I think), which has a sculpture of Madonna with Child as well as a recently installed memorial to another nun. One of the chapels I think has the Tomb of Bonaparte Ghislieri, a senator of Bologna who also commissioned the Hours of Bonaparte Ghislieri. The high altar is again Baroque, but without any hint of Rococo. The centrepiece of the high altar is Byzantine art inspired painting of Madonna with Child, crowned with a physical silver crown. The pièce de résistance of the church is the clay sculptures of the Lamentation over the Dead Christ by Niccolò dell'Arca. Visits to this requires an entrance fee, but is totally worth it.Visited May 2023Written 21 July 2023
- daveumich3 contributionsSmall, but Beautiful ChurchThe church is not terribly large, but it is beautiful. It appears that tickets are necessary for only the fascinating sculpture to the right side of the main altar and for the oratorio. The oratorio is open until 6:30pm (18.30), but the last admission is at 6:00pm (18.00).Visited November 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 19 November 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.5
1,369 reviews
Excellent
959
Very good
335
Average
56
Poor
7
Terrible
12
daveumich
3 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
The church is not terribly large, but it is beautiful. It appears that tickets are necessary for only the fascinating sculpture to the right side of the main altar and for the oratorio. The oratorio is open until 6:30pm (18.30), but the last admission is at 6:00pm (18.00).
Written 20 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jason S
Melbourne, Australia1,693 contributions
Feb 2023 • Solo
Really enjoyed this church probably one of the smaller churches in Bologna but maybe has the best art work and statues.
Located near Piazza maggoire so easy to add to your schedule while visiting the city.
Located near Piazza maggoire so easy to add to your schedule while visiting the city.
Written 14 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
macedonboy
Glasgow, UK179,694 contributions
May 2023
The Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Vita is a Baroque and Rococo style church in the historic centre of Bologna. A church has been here since the 13th century, although the current church was only built in the 17/18th century. The church has an elliptical plan, topped with an elliptical dome. The interior is very compact with chapels surrounding the nave in close proximity. Each chapel is designed with a Baroque painting as its centrepiece, but mainly with rococo style mouldings. The one exception is the Chapel of St. Rita (I think), which has a sculpture of Madonna with Child as well as a recently installed memorial to another nun. One of the chapels I think has the Tomb of Bonaparte Ghislieri, a senator of Bologna who also commissioned the Hours of Bonaparte Ghislieri. The high altar is again Baroque, but without any hint of Rococo. The centrepiece of the high altar is Byzantine art inspired painting of Madonna with Child, crowned with a physical silver crown.
The pièce de résistance of the church is the clay sculptures of the Lamentation over the Dead Christ by Niccolò dell'Arca. Visits to this requires an entrance fee, but is totally worth it.
The pièce de résistance of the church is the clay sculptures of the Lamentation over the Dead Christ by Niccolò dell'Arca. Visits to this requires an entrance fee, but is totally worth it.
Written 21 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JJJC_Family
Virginia810 contributions
Apr 2023 • Couples
From the outside, this church does not look like much. Get inside and it’s much. It’s an impressive, attractive and tasteful interior. And if you go upstairs you will find a collection of fairly bizarre statues that nonetheless are extremely intriguing and represent great talent. I can’t lie to you that I did not spend a considerable amount of tome looking at it. I did. What makes this church so different than almost all others I have seen is the juxtaposition of a pretty conservative, traditional, even restrained appearance for the main part of the church and even the room that the statues occupy and with this truly jarring, avant-garde exhibition in the same church. Strangely, I respected that decision to combine the two. Somehow, it worked on a spiritual and artistic level. It’s not new and apparently it is famous. I think you owe to yourself to check it out.
Written 17 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
scvrose
Fiddletown, CA1,105 contributions
May 2023 • Family
Not a large church, but the artwork and sculptures are amazing. Make sure you pay to see the upper floor and the statues near the front. Amazing works, so lifelike. We just stopped and stared. You must see The Lamentation.
Written 3 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
stanmansurrey
Thames Ditton, UK3,506 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
this church was built in the late 13th Century by the Flagellati who were involved in charities so had a hospital unit since 1287. The Baroque church has some notable features but so many churches in Italy do. The most notable is the terracotta sculptues by Niccolo dell'Arca - il Compianto del Cristo ( Lamentation over the Dead Christ) depicting 6 figures including the Madonna, St John the Evangelist, Mary Magdalene, Nicodemus, Mary Salome, Mary of Cleophus lamenting over the body of Jesus Christ. These were finished in 1490 and are extraordinarily detailed life-sized figures. 5€ seems a bit excessive just to see this display, the church itself is free. However, I was aware of this in a project I did on Bologna 6 years ago so it had to be done.
Strangely, there is a similar Compianto piece in the Cattedrale di San Pietro, round the corner in via Independenze, by Lombardi completed about 30 years later. Free to see in a chapel in the main body of the church ( with an additional Joseph of Arithamea ).
Strangely, there is a similar Compianto piece in the Cattedrale di San Pietro, round the corner in via Independenze, by Lombardi completed about 30 years later. Free to see in a chapel in the main body of the church ( with an additional Joseph of Arithamea ).
Written 25 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Holly C
San Francisco, CA313 contributions
May 2023 • Solo
Nice baroque church but nothing special
If you have seen a lot of Italian churches. The main attraction is the group of life size terracotta sculptures showing Christ removed from the cross and several lamenting figures. They are pretty amazing, showing very dramatic, pained expressions but the €5 fee to see them seemed a bit excessive. I am not sure I’d go out of my way for them. ( By the way, there is a very similar group in the large church of San Petronio way in the back right of the altar although smaller and less dramatic but one can see this was a type of representation done by other artists )
If you have seen a lot of Italian churches. The main attraction is the group of life size terracotta sculptures showing Christ removed from the cross and several lamenting figures. They are pretty amazing, showing very dramatic, pained expressions but the €5 fee to see them seemed a bit excessive. I am not sure I’d go out of my way for them. ( By the way, there is a very similar group in the large church of San Petronio way in the back right of the altar although smaller and less dramatic but one can see this was a type of representation done by other artists )
Written 8 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kristina P
19 contributions
Apr 2023 • Couples
This is a must visit sight in Bologna. The basilica is very impressive inside with large altar and beautiful frescoes. Very peaceful.
Written 14 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jordanellie41
Longridge, UK1,069 contributions
Feb 2023
You'll find this church down a walkway in the Quadrilatero district. It has a nice facade, tall and thin with nice architecture and statues. Inside it's beautiful, very decorative and full of colour. It has the usual high pillars and small alcoves and most of it's paintings and lovely architecture adorn it's walls. Central is a very high dome with another above the altar with wonderful frescos. The altar is equally as impressive with green marble pillars holding up two impressive white sculptures. There's three small paintings as a backdrop with small figurines to each side. Also, there's little balconies each side half way up the walls which overall make this a majestic looking altar. the Complianto del Cristo Morto sculpture is to the right hand side of the altar but there's a 5£ fee to see it
Written 20 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Travelaround59
London, UK1,867 contributions
Jan 2023 • Solo
I could see a church dome from Piazza Maggiore so I decided to walk there just to see what it was and I am glad that I did that because inside the un assuming facade there is a wonderful example of Barocco! Finally a church, for me, finally balanced and the little inside is a gem of discovery. As usual in Bologna you do not get the biggest artists of the Renaissance (as in Rome or Florence or Venice) but the paintings are very pleasant as well the carvings and the statues…very nice indeed!!!
Written 31 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
toscanaluna2016
Bari, Italy39 contributions
quanto costa il biglietto per visitare il Compianto?
bettyraed
San Giovanni al Natisone, Italy1,127 contributions
Confermo 4 euro
hawaii83
Phoenix, AZ225 contributions
What is dress code to go in sanctuary ?
allus
Edinburgh214 contributions
I was not aware of a formal dress code on my visit but it makes sense to just dress respectfully with no bare shoulders or shorts, as other contributers have suggested. This will likely only be an issue in summer months.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Chiesa di Santa Maria della Vita
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