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The majority
of the churches to be found in the region date back to the Middle Ages.
Earthquakes and other calamities have caused the partial or total
demolition of some of them. This has happened in every age, including
the Baroque period. Few in fact of the churches in this style were built
ex novo. The successful attempt to graft the exuberance of the Baroque
architectural lines and decorations onto the body of a medieval church
produced original results that were unforeseeable at the time, between
the 17th and 18th centuries. There are numerous
examples. The characteristic feature, however, is the tendency to break
the line of continuity with the past. The architectural design is, in
fact, a long way from the sobriety of the pre-existing buildings.
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Ripabottoni |
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Campobasso |
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The
church of S. Maria Assunta |
The
church of S. Antonio Abate |
The
Molise still has numerous Baroque churches, including in particular the Churches
of the Annunziata at Venafro, Santa Maria Assunta at Ripabottoni
and San Pietro at San Martino in Pensilis. The church
of Sant'Antonio Abate at Campobasso is a genuine jewel-box
of the Baroque.
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