Detailed sheets

The church interior

The interior of the church of San Nicola is rather simple: a large rectangular space, known as the nave, is covered by two cross vaults, separated by a large arch (fig. 1). The cross vaults are produced by the cross intersections of two vaults and the surface is often painted with decorations.

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Fig. 1 - Interior of the church of San Nicola di Trullas (photo by Unicity S.p.A.).

At the back of the nave, behind the altar, there is a semi-circular structure known as the apse (fig. 2). This is the most important area of the church as it is where the sacred functions take place. Six arched windows, single-light windows, guarantee light to the inside: two places on each side wall and another two in the apse.

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Fig. 2 - The apse of the church of San Nicola di Trullas (photo by Unicity S.p.A.).

The interior surface of the church must have been entirely covered by paintings from the 13th century at one time. Now there are only some traces in the apse area, on the two vaults and along the walls (figs. 3-4).

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Fig. 3 - Virtual reconstruction hypothesis of the interior of the church of San Nicola di Trullas (visual by Unicity S.p.A.).
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Fig. 4 - Virtual reconstruction hypothesis of the interior of the church of San Nicola di Trullas (visual by Unicity S.p.A.).



Bibliografia

  • A. BONINU, A. PANDOLFI (a cura di), San Nicola di Trullas. Archeologia, Architettura, Paesaggio, Semestene 2010.
  • R. CORONEO, Architettura romanica dalla metà del Mille al primo 300, Nuoro 1993, scheda n. 10.
  • R. CORONEO, R. SERRA, Sardegna preromanica e romanica, Milano 2004, pp. 103-110.
  • R. DELOGU, L’architettura del medioevo in Sardegna, Roma, 1953.
  • A. PANDOLFI ET ALII, San Nicola di Trullas a Semestene. Chiesa e monastero, in Committenza, scelte insediative e organizzazione patrimoniale nel medioevo (De Re Monastica - I), Atti del Convegno di studio (Tergu, 15-17 settembre 2006), a cura di Letizia Pani Ermini, Spoleto, 2007, pp. 167-206.
  • D. SCANO, Storia dell’arte in Sardegna dall’XI al XIV secolo, Cagliari, 1907.
  • R. SERRA, San Nicola di Trullas, in Sardegna preromanica e romanica, a cura di R. Coroneo e R. Serra, Milano-Cagliari, 2004.
  • G. ZANETTI, I camaldolesi in Sardegna, Cagliari, 1974.

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