THE CHURCH OF SAINT REGULUS - Montaione, Italy
The church of Saint Regulus, in the main square of Montaione, traces its origins back to the 12th century. It retains very little of its original appearance, because it has undergone profound transformations over the centuries.
The current Baroque style is due to the 1635 intervention, commissioned by the Montaione-born Cristoforo Del Bianco, known as Scipione Ammirato il Giovane, who is buried here.
Serena stone designs the vaults of the roof, while marble altars mark out the spaces along the aisles.
In 1320, under the high altar, the body of Blessed Vivaldo da San Gimignano was buried, which was only moved to the church dedicated to him - in the hamlet of San Vivaldo - in 1908, when Pope Pius X confirmed the cult of the saint.
The apsis was built in 1602 while the two counterforts characterizing the façade date back to 1765.
The works preserved inside, are noteworthy: on the first altar to the right, the Madonna del Consiglio by Guido di Graziano, from the second half of the 13 th century, has recently been relocated.
Above the high altar, stands a valuable wooden crucifix from the 14th century instead, while the dome was frescoed by Cesare Maffei in 1854 with the Virgin in Glory between Saints Regulus and Bartholomew.
Also noteworthy is the pipe organ, built by Antonio Ducci in 1840 and located on the counter façade.
The baptismal font in sandstone, in neoclassical style, is enclosed in a small chapel overlooking Piazza della Repubblica, the heart of the town.
Translated by @alessandrafalai