CHURCHES AND MONUMENTS

Church of St. Martin and Campanile
This complex includes the Church and its Campanile. This is the fourth parish church building of Cairano. The first one was built around 1300. It was destroyed by the 1694 earthquake and a new one was immediately built. Eventually, this second church became too small and it was replaced with a new one in 1776. This church was destroyed by the 1980 earthquake. The fourth church, built to withstand earthquakes, is basically identical to that destroyed by the earthquake. Of considerable importance are the marble altar, some stucco works and paintings, especially that of the Madonna and Bambino, and some 1700's statues, especially that of Our Lady of Sorrows, which shows Spanish influences.

          

Saint Martin, Parish Church of Cairano

 

Statue of Our Lady of Sorrows

The first Campanile was built in 1328, probably using one of the towers of the castle. In 1867 this Campanile was so unstable that it was substituted with a new one. This second Campanile was damaged by the 1980 earthquake and has been completely restructured. The old bells and clock have been repaired and inaugurated in 2002. Before the earthquake, the bells were rung by hand and the clock was operated by weights. Now bells and clock are electrically operated.

The clock strikes the hours and the quarter hours and is audible anywhere in the town and in the surrounding countryside, as was the old one. The fact that it is so loud could have disturbed the sleep of the Cairanesi. However, since it is operated electrically, the clock stikes only from 6 AM to 10 PM!

            

Two views of the Campanile with the clock on top

Chapel of St. Leo
It is the oldest original church building of the town. It was built in the 1400s, damaged during the 1694 earthquake, and immediately repaired with chains and scarp walls. It has been heavily damage by the 1980 earthquake. In July 2004 only the façade was repaired and the church remains closed. Of considerable importance are the portal and the altar of polychromatic marble.

          

Chapel of St. Leo

 

Chapel of the Immaculate Conception
It was build around 1800. Of considerable importance are the altar and some paintings.

           

Chapel of the Immaculate Conception

 

Pentecostal Church
The Pentecostal religious community of Cairano started after the Second World War. The religious services were held in the homes of the faithful until 1956, when the church building was inaugurated.

           

Pentecostal Church

 

War Memorial
Cairano has always had less than 2000 people. However, like all the other Italian towns, it has contributed its share of children fallen in the two world wars, as indicated by the names written on the base of this monument.

           

War Memorial

 

Back to top

or back to: