Church of Santa Maria di Costantinopoli (Ischia)

The Church of Santa Maria di Costantinopoli is a church in Ischia, in the city of Ischia Ponte: is the seat of the confraternity of Santa Maria di Costantinopoli.

History and description

The confraternity of Santa Maria of Constantinople was founded in 1613 by some local craftsmen, who had split from the brotherhood of fishermen and sailors stationed in the nearby Chapel of Santa Sofia, later Church of the Holy Spirit: it was attached to this church, in front of the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, which was built in 1626 the oratory , then completely renovated in 1693: inside Board debates took place. Over the years were performed only conservative restoration, that did not alter the structure of the building.

The entrance is preceded by a marble staircase: an initial website, consisting of two columns with lintel, which holds a pediment where is inserted a marble inscription with the name of the brotherhood and a niche with a statue of the Madonna, besides a small belfry, surmounted by an iron cross, gives access to a courtyard found; on it, in turn, facing the Church: the façade is not particularly decorative architectural elements, if not the main entrance and a large window. Internally, the Church has a single nave with a barrel vault, divided into between compartments adorned with frescoes, while the façade was built the choir. Along the walls, in addition to Windows, the lunettes are frescoed scenes from the old and New Testaments, while at the base there is a choir with double row of chairs, protected by a parapet and balustrade, interspersed with steps: on a shelf of the choir is a painting of Jesus ' heart of 1787, attributed to Giacinto Diano. The high altar, built in the 18th century with polychrome marbles, presents an antependium, originating from a funerary monument formerly located in the castello Aragonese, portraying the Madonna of the pomegranate, while at the top, in a niche, is the statue of our Lady of Constantinople, dating from the 18th century and crowned by the Vatican chapter, on 25 August 1794, after the request of Bishop Sebastian de Rosa , forwarded in 1787; on the sides, in two niches, are two statues. Within the sacristy are preserved two paintings depicting Saint Anne and the Virgin girl and the vision of Saint Francis Xavier.

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