The monastery of St. Domenico is one of the most significant cultural symbol in the town of Monopoli. The church, important for its artistic and historical value, belongs to the rich cultural heritage of the town and testifies the history of Monopoli from the end of XVth century until the XVIIIth century. The church of S. Domenico reflects the different main three cultural trends during these centuries. In April 1528, while the plague spread out the town, 400 Venetian soldiers conquered Monopoli that “exhausted” because of the epidemic, opened its doors to Venetian soldiers instead of Spanish Army. The commanding officer, Andrea Gritti, pulled down the buildings that were outside the walls to not allow any use to the Spanish Army with the commanding officer Marchese del Vasto. Among these buildings, the monastery and the church of S. Maria la Nova were involved too.

The friars, however, on the 20th of August 20, 1530, according to Clemente VII, took the permission to build the new monastery. The previous church of S. Maria La Nova , built outside the walls of the town, took its name by the church of S. Maria la Nova in Firenze. The monk Reginaldo hosted the work of art made by the miniatures artist Giambellino, that is now preserved in the picture Gallery in Bari.
The current church has three naves with the rise of the dome that ends with a gothic apse. Its artistic richness consists of decorative details carved in the stone; from the door frames to the triumphal arch of the presbytery, for the capitals, the Baroque altars, the narrow aisles and the vaults. There are different styles: a Gothic and Renaissance echoes from its dome. Whereas, on the right side we can see barocco leccese. The first chapel, it is believed to be made by the artist Manieri from Lecce, who worked in Monopoli between the 1741 and 1742 for the building of the church and monastery of S. Leonardo too.

In the two left side- altars there are: in the first one the Dominicans, and the third one with S. Domenico. The Spanish saint is also above the ceiling with Madonna and S. Catherine from Siena, made by Gerolamo Cenatiempo (1703), represented in the painting by Palma il Giovane, on the left wall of the transept, visited by three Saints, in the miracle of Soriano. On the outside, on the facade, we can see the rose window with its outstanding and precious stone- carving.

On the façade there are also the statues of Stefano from Putignano, such as: Christ crowned with thorns, S. Domenico , Madonna enthroned with Her Child . The monastery, close to the church where nowadays is a police station, has on the inside the bright cloister, the classical frame around the main door and the balconies from Renaissance period that look out onto the square XX Settembre. All of these details testify its outstanding and aristocratic artistic richness.
 

Fonte:
Comune di Monopoli - Assessorato alla cultura, Monopoli nel suo passato, Dicembre 1985.
Michele Pirrelli, Tra Conventi e Monasteri, Gelsorosso.

 

Progetto Bibliopolis Servizio Civile 2011