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San-Tumasgiu Chapel, Castellu di Rustinu

This chapel could date from the 11th or 12th century. The date 1470, engraved on several stones of the building, probably indicates a major work campaign. Inside, there are some remarkable frescoes dating from the 15th century.
This Romanesque chapel has a single nave with a semi-circular, east-facing apse. There are loophole windows and a small opening in the form of a Greek cross on the upper part of the eastern façade. The side entrance, to the south, is surmounted by a triangular monolithic tympanum, where in the central hollowed-out part there is an inscription dated 22 June 1470 indicating the name of Bishop Antonio Bonombra. Cited by Bishop Marliani in 1646, this chapel could date from the 11th or 12th century. The date of 1470, engraved on several stones of the building, undoubtedly indicates an important work campaign. After the collapse of the old roof structure in 1925, the architect of the Monuments Historiques undertook a restoration in 1933. The restoration was disastrous, as the façade and the front third of the nave were destroyed, damaging and cutting the frescoes inside. Inside, there are some remarkable frescoes dating from the 15th century: in the apse, they represent Christ in Majesty surrounded by angels and the Tetramorph and at his feet the 12 apostles. On the triumphal arch, at the top, the Annunciation is depicted, with the Archangel Gabriel and the Virgin Mary; at the bottom, Saint Michael slaying the dragon. On the north wall, fragments of scenes from the Passion of Christ and the Last Supper are visible. On the south wall, a scene evokes hell: in the lower part, demons are busy around cauldrons, representing the deadly sins, in which the souls of sinners are simmering, while above, other demons take care of them by inflicting the overconsumption of their sins. All this is topped by a colossal devil sitting in hell, who devours and mechanically rejects his victims. This scene, of great violence (severed heads, evisceration, force-feeding, physical abuse, strangulation, etc.) offers a representation of hell such as Dante Alighieri described in his work The Divine Comedy (14th century). In fact, an inscription quoting song number 3 of Dante's Inferno can be seen on a painted column of the fresco. In 2002, during the renovation of the chapel, a reliquary was discovered in a cavity hidden in the body of the altar. It is a loaf of natural wax, bearing the seal of the bishop of Accia, Antonio Bonombra, and containing four teeth attributed to Saint Thomas. The building and the frescoes are classified as Historic Monuments.
  • Route
  • Place
  • Castello-di-Rostino
    Accessibilité :
    • Indoor/outdoor walkway signage
    Services :
    Informative amenities :
    • Information sign
    GRITACCESS:
    Contact :
          • Chapelle San-Tumasgiu, Castellu di Rustinu (Castello-di-Rostino) 20235 Castellu-di-Rostino

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