The entrance to the Crusader's Hospital at the Church of the Madonna dei Martiri. For more information on this church, click here. This "hospital" is now used as a gallery space.
"Mimmo Rotella - Artypo 1966-1975" is an exhibit currently being shown in Molfetta's Hospital of the Crusaders. As interesting as Rotella's work may be, I can't help but feel that the building itself outshines any exhibit held in it.
The "hospital" was built next to the Basilica of the Madonna dei Martiri in 1095 and is not thought to have actually been a hospital, but a sort of guest house for pilgrims returning from the crusades to the Holy Land. A place where they could rest and recover, both physically and mentally.
Yesterday's statue stands just across from this church which is home to the venerated statue of the Madonna of the Martyrs that I showed you during the festival of Saint Conrad in early September.
The first written documents that refer to this church date back to 1162 where it is mentioned as a chapel annexed to the hospital for pilgrims enroute or returning from the Holy Land (i.e., crusaders). In the photo you can see a stone wall with two flags, the hospital lies behind that wall, you can still visit it today. It is believed that there was a previous chapel on the same site and a pagan worshipping place previous to that.
The church we see today is Neogothic in style. Besides housing the statue of the Madonna which is said to be named Glikophylousa and to have been carried back from the "Orient" at the end of the 12th century by crusaders, the church complex also hosts a community of monks. It is possible to lodge with them when visiting Molfetta. For information, consult the following site.
This video is rather poor in quality, but it shows the church from a different angle and yesterday's statue is also visible.
The entrance to the Crusader's Hospital at the Church of the Madonna dei Martiri. For more information on this church, click here. This "hospital" is now used as a gallery space.
"Mimmo Rotella - Artypo 1966-1975" is an exhibit currently being shown in Molfetta's Hospital of the Crusaders. As interesting as Rotella's work may be, I can't help but feel that the building itself outshines any exhibit held in it.
Yesterday's statue stands just across from this church which is home to the venerated statue of the Madonna of the Martyrs that I showed you during the festival of Saint Conrad in early September.
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