Church of Santa Maria in Calchera
Church of Santa Maria in CalcheraPiazzetta Santa Maria Calchera, 1, 25131, Brescia (BS)www.diocesi.brescia.it/s-maria-in-calchera-parrocchia-s-maria-in-calchera
Erected probably shortly after the 11th century as a modest chapel dedicated to Santa Maria della Visitazione, the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the church is located along Via Trieste in Brescia, in the south-west corner of the small square of the same name and not far from Piazzale Arnaldo, and was first mentioned in a papal bull of 1125. It owes its name to the nearby presence of a “calchera”, or lime kiln.
THE CHURCH
In the early 14th century, thanks to a family who also went by the name Calchera, the building was extended and embellished. The centuries that followed brought decay and collapse, and the church was almost completely rebuilt, preserving only the original apse.
The exterior presents a simple and sober gabled façade. The Baroque portal, with Ionic columns and a low arched pediment, is the most ornate detail. Above, a large marble-framed window illuminates the interior.
Inside is a single nave, with four side chapels that punctuate the space. Two low domes surmount the space, and the apse, a survivor from the medieval period, is vaulted. The entire decorative apparatus was realised under the guidance of Gaetano Cresseri, with frescoes, stuccoes and friezes.
Santa Maria in Calchera is a discreet, surprising church. Behind its simple façade lies a whole world. A world of art, faith and stories that deserve to be seen, heard and remembered.
