Sito dell'Assessorato alla Cultura, Turismo e Spettacolo del Comune di Piano di Sorrento
- ideato e realizzato dall'Ufficio Cultura del Comune -
Tel. 0815344426 - mail: info@pianodisorrentoeventi.it
Chapel of Saint Mary of Mercy
Annexed to the Convent of the Augustinian nuns and located right next to the Basilica of San Michele, towards Via San Michele uphill, this religious complex was built in 1592 thanks to a donation from Eufemia Piccolo. Her daughter Giovanna was one of the first nuns of the Augustinian order in Piano, and the initiative was supported by the University of Piano to provide shelter for young poor nuns.
Originally, this cloistered monastery-conservatory was established in the Picciuolo area of Mortora. However, with the support of the University, the donor Piccolo (who also became its first director) decided to relocate it to Via San Michele. Since the Archbishop at the time, Baldino, was an Augustinian Father, the convent was assigned the Rule of Saint Augustine. On July 17, 1635, the rules of the pious institution were approved, designating it as a shelter for poor virgins of the University of Piano, administered by five deputies elected from five different districts (rioni). The convent was originally connected to the Church of San Michele through the nuns' choir, located above the main entrance, and a grated window corresponding to the altar of Our Lady of Sorrows.
This structure was dismantled in 1642 when an organ was installed and a passage was created between Largo Annunziata and Via San Michele, which still exists today. The following year, the nuns of the Conservatory were granted a small choir with a grate overlooking the Church of San Michele. In return, the monastery ceded a piece of land that connected Via San Michele to the churchyard of the Church of San Michele. In 1680, the church acquired the name of Santa Maria della Misericordia. Through a series of renovations, the Conservatory took its present form only in the 18th century, and in 1759, the Church of Santa Maria della Misericordia was built on the site where the Chapel of Madonna della Neve once stood.
This chapel was located where the altar dedicated to the Ecce Homo stands today, in the left transept. The interior of the church, adorned with stuccoes and Baroque marble, has a more or less octagonal plan with an apse and two small side chapels. The walls feature a double register running around the nave. Particularly notable is the floor, created by Giuseppe Massa in 1759, consisting of terracotta and majolica tiles with scroll and floral designs, along with the Augustinian emblem. The cloistered quarters overlook the apse through two openings. The high altar, made of polychrome marble with floral motifs, is remarkable, and behind it is a mid-18th-century painting depicting the Madonna of Consolation with Child between Saint Monica and Saint Augustine. This painting was created by Giuseppe Bonito, an artist from Castellammare and a student of Solimena. The presbytery is elevated. Also noteworthy is the ancient stone portal at the entrance and the striking Baroque façade with a domed roof. Due to the church’s function in serving the convent, the typical white “jealousy” grates of cloistered convents can be observed. Additionally, five small choirs are located above the interior arches.
Come raggiungerlo