Marble – Haiku 2024 Thursday Doors

Posted bySuzette BenjaminPosted inPoetryTags:
Certosa di Pavia, Pavia Monastery, Lombardy, Italy. Image credit: Luca Santilli | Dreamstime

cloistered raised marble

carrying the weight of stories

sent down a river

*

Built by the same architect/chief engineer who built Milan Cathedral, Guiniforte Solari— Certosa di Pavia or the Charterhouse of Pavia (or Pavia Monastery) was consecrated in 1497.

Every inch of Certosa di Pavia (Pavia Monastery)’s facade arcade is carved, sculpted, inlaid, and clad with hand-carved squares of high-end Carrara marble shipped in via Italy’s legendary Po River from Tuscany.

The facade sculptures vary in size from bas relief, to medallions to life-sized figures.

The sculptures on the facade are arranged in a progression from bottom to top: at the bottom are mythological figures, then the higher levels depict local saints, and kings.

And sculpted scenes from the life of Jesus according to the biblical accounts, are presented in the upper levels of the facade’s opulent arcade.

The sculptured niche above Pavia Monastery’s entrance porch took two well-known 15th century-sculptors, Benedetto Briosco and Giovanni Antonio Amadeo, over five years each to carve the above the doors’ niche. See the image of the featured door below:

Main Entrance porch, Pavia Monastery, Lombardy Italy. Image credit: © Morseicinque | Dreamstime

Trivia #1: The original  Certosa di Pavia monastery, with its first stone laid on 27 August 1396, was constructed adjacent to the Lombardy King’s hunting grounds and later relocated in the 15th century.

Trivia #2: The dish risotto was invented in Italy’s Pavia/Lombardy region. The monks of Certosa di Pavia (Pavia Monastery) are credited with inventing their well-known modified risotto with fish dish named after the monastery: Risotto alla Certosina.

Extra Fact: Pavia University’s most famous President and Chair of its Physics Department is credited as the inventor of the modern electric battery (in 1800); his name became synonymous with the measurement of volts and voltage — Alessandro Volta.

 Early morning, Certosa di Pavia Monastery at the front with The Sanctuary on the side, Lombardy Italy. Image credit: © Roberto Binetti | Dreamstime

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Published by Suzette Benjamin

Positive thinker, inspirational, writer, faith

54 thoughts on “Marble – Haiku 2024 Thursday Doors”

  1. Wow, what history here, Suzette ” 27 August 1396, was constructed adjacent to the Lombardy King’s hunting grounds and later relocated in the 15th century.” Amazing architecture and colors of the cathedral. Your poem gave the building the reverence and weight of reverence it deserves.💗💗💗

    Liked by 3 people

    1. I am glad you enjoyed and that you have added Lombardy to your preferred bucket list… You are blessed to travel through Europe with ease, there. Here (from Canada) for me it would take lots of long time planning etc.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Travelling around Europe for us tends to be one country at a time but somehow when North Americans visit they manage to cover vast numbers of European countries in a single trip.

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  4. Another beautiful cathedral, teased by your lovely haiku and explained in interesting detail. It occurred to me when I read “And sculpted scenes from the life of Jesus according to the biblical accounts…” that many of the artisans probably couldn’t read and may not have had access to a printed Bible. So storytelling and other existing artwork was essential. Other means of sharing information, just as you are doing here.

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    1. Yes, Dan I believe you are right that literacy for Latin and other such languages of the written text in Medieval times was not high. So true that storytelling does help render the Word as alive in illustrations.
      Thank you for your generous comments and support Dan. Many blessings and great health and abundance to you this day!

      Liked by 2 people

  5. Names like Alessandro (the Italian form of Alexander) and Alexander always fascinates me. They are closely associated with greatness and legendary figures throughout history. So I’m not surprised that the inventor of the electric battery is an Alessandro too.

    These names have become symbols of power, intellect, and cultural impact, embodying qualities like courage, innovation, and resilience.

    Certosa di Pavia is a testament to the Visconti family wealth, linking legacies with religious devotion. The facade is a stunning example of hierarchical organization. The placement of sculpted scenes from the life of Jesus on the upper levels of the Certosa di Pavia’s facade surely enhanced the spiritual experience of the congreants The Certosa’s specialty risotto is also an interesting story that reflects the creativity and discipline of the monks in the kitchen. One feels that despite the austerity of their lives, food became a form of art and expression for the monks? Prized for its quality and beauty, “sent down the river” beautifully captures the journey of the marble to the Certosa di Pavia. The darkly carved doors of the Certosa di Pavia’s main entrance provide a striking contrast against the radiant marble facade. Filled with centuries of faith, ambition, and creativity, the Certosa di Pavia is a wonderful read, beautifully captured in your haiku.

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    1. Your comments are profoundly insightful and deep. I so agree that the name of a person speaks volumes of its legacy throughout the ages. And indeed Alexander…is a fantastic name for a visionary and inventor.

      I could not agree more with your insight and vespers on the meaning/symbolism of aligning the court of heaven in the layers of hierarchy given to the sculptural placing of the bibilical figures…
      And you are so right it was a time when the wealthy were exhuberant in faith and generous beyond measure.
      May grace abound in each moment of your day/evening.

      Liked by 2 people

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    1. Yes, I think the marble is not an easy thing to curve into a semi circle and carve so I suspect they had their work cut out for them. Plus these master sculptors had many many jobs to juggle at different building sites in different cities sometimes. Safe travels Maggie. Cheers.

      Liked by 1 person

  13. I am continually amazed at the fine craftsmanship in these buildings. The architects had amazing vision to be able to realize their ideas in such a majestic and yet coherent whole. (K)

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  15. Dear Poet it gave me a great pleasure to dive into the history of the Certosa di Pavia.
    “alignment with the court of heaven” is beautifully stated, and amazing how the sculptors brought divine scenes and figures to life in a way that transcended words. And the awe these masterpieces inspired that formed a bridge between the earthly and the divine – inviting every passerby, regardless of education or social class, to engage with the stories.

    Visionaries and inventors, to this day Alexander/Alessandro remain a powerful name.

    Absolutely, the generosity and influence of the wealthy and nobility is unmistakable in the history of the Certosa di Pavia.

    Thank you for indulging me.
    If I ever need to speak off the cuff about the cathedral’s history, your haiku line ‘sent down the river’ will be my guide. It perfectly captures the journey and the essence of this magnificent place, allowing all the historical details to flow together seamlessly.

    Thank you for your graceful and warm greetings.
    Wishing you a wonderful night

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thank you for your generous comments and warm hearted dialog an absolute pleasure for me as well. I like the idea of speaking of a cathedral as planted like a tree by living Waters.
      Thank you for the best wishes.

      Liked by 2 people

  19. For the last couple of weeks, I’ve not been able to get into your website. I’m sure it’s me. I have an ancient computer. Oy! Lovely haiku and wow what a beautiful and unusual looking building. So many stories!

    Liked by 1 person

  20. The marvel of marble. Not just that it exists but that it can be shaped by human hands. You are so right about “the weight of stories,” and I am struck by that part of your haiku. Those sculptors devoted their skills and souls to telling the stories. Weight indeed. So beautiful.

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