Description
The church and convent of San Giovanni del Gelsi is one of the best-known Franciscan complexes in Molise, in Campobasso, in the San Giovanni neighborhood, at the entrance to the municipal cemetery. Off the routes through the center, it's worth the detour for its interior in colored bands and its 15th-century cloister.
The facade is Neoclassical: a triangular pediment, pilasters with Ionic capitals and a framed portal, topped by a plaque and a large fan window. The two curved side wings correspond to the aisles inside.
Inside, the nave and two aisles have an Art Nouveau feel with Neoclassical touches. The striking feature is the marble walls in colored bands, reminiscent of those in Siena Cathedral. On the inner facade is the organ, with a panel painting of the Madonna and Child at its center.
On the altars stand out the statues by Paolo Saverio Di Zinno, the Campobasso sculptor of the Misteri: Saint John in the left aisle, the Our Lady of Sorrows of 1745 in the right one.
Behind the high altar are a Baroque wooden choir and a large canvas of the Madonna; farther back, an altarpiece in three panels with the life of Saint Francis. On the Franciscans' altar there is a bronze urn with relics of saints.
Next to the church, the square 15th-century cloister, with its portico and well, is the oldest part still standing. Beneath the church there is also a small underground room where the faithful left votive offerings for graces received.
The convent was perhaps founded in the 13th century, outside the walls, on a hill surrounded by cypresses. In the 15th century Blessed John of Stroncone had it rebuilt, and between 1500 and 1513 it was enlarged to more than 40 cells.
The earthquake of 1805 damaged it without destroying it, while the nearby convent of the Madonna delle Grazie was razed to the ground. With the suppression of religious orders ordered by Murat, the buildings became a school and a wool mill; in 1958 the Franciscans returned and began a major restoration.
The facade is Neoclassical: a triangular pediment, pilasters with Ionic capitals and a framed portal, topped by a plaque and a large fan window. The two curved side wings correspond to the aisles inside.
Inside, the nave and two aisles have an Art Nouveau feel with Neoclassical touches. The striking feature is the marble walls in colored bands, reminiscent of those in Siena Cathedral. On the inner facade is the organ, with a panel painting of the Madonna and Child at its center.
On the altars stand out the statues by Paolo Saverio Di Zinno, the Campobasso sculptor of the Misteri: Saint John in the left aisle, the Our Lady of Sorrows of 1745 in the right one.
Behind the high altar are a Baroque wooden choir and a large canvas of the Madonna; farther back, an altarpiece in three panels with the life of Saint Francis. On the Franciscans' altar there is a bronze urn with relics of saints.
Next to the church, the square 15th-century cloister, with its portico and well, is the oldest part still standing. Beneath the church there is also a small underground room where the faithful left votive offerings for graces received.
The convent was perhaps founded in the 13th century, outside the walls, on a hill surrounded by cypresses. In the 15th century Blessed John of Stroncone had it rebuilt, and between 1500 and 1513 it was enlarged to more than 40 cells.
The earthquake of 1805 damaged it without destroying it, while the nearby convent of the Madonna delle Grazie was razed to the ground. With the suppression of religious orders ordered by Murat, the buildings became a school and a wool mill; in 1958 the Franciscans returned and began a major restoration.