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Corsica Ajaccio Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral 
Constructed in typical Counter-Reformation architecture with its Latin cross plan and the transept crossing lit by a dome on pendentives (constructional device permitting the placing of a circular dome over a square room or of an elliptical dome over a rectangular room). It has an impressive dome and ochre coloured Baroque façade. Its interior contains the main nave and two side isles.  On entry, the first chapel on the left is the Chapel of the Madonna of Pianto, which is a small 18th-century chapel that contains a number of murals and is decorated with paintings by Tintoretto's son. Next to that is the Chapel of Our Lady of Mercy, a 1752 chapel is dedicated to the patron saint of Ajaccio, the Virgin Mary. It contains a marble altar designed by Geonese sculptors and decorated with spiral Brocatello marble from Spain.  At the far end of the left aisle is the Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary. This dates to 1765 and contains a stucco altar and series of boxes representing the Glorious, Joyful, Luminous, and Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary of the Virgin, a central niche (a recess, or cavity in a wall, typically holding a decorative element such as a statue, or vase, etc.) has a statue of the Virgin Mary and two side niches contain statues of Saint Dominic and Saint Catherine of Siena.  At the head of the right aisle by the door is the marble Baptismal font in which Napoleon was baptised on 21 July 1771. Below it is inscribed: Heic baptisatus Magnus Imperator which is Latin for: Here is baptised the Great Emperor.  Moving down the right-side Isle is the Chapel Nostra Signora dei Naviganti. Next to that is the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception. At the far end of the right aisle is the Chapel of Corpo di Cristo.   At the end of the right aisle is the Chapel of the Sacrament.  In the centre of the far end of the nave is the High Altar made of polychrome marble, which was originally in the Church of the Suffragio in Lucca. This was given to the cathedral in 1809 by Elisa Bonaparte, Napoleon's sister. The tabernacle dates from the time of the construction of the cathedral and originally stood at the baptismal font. It was then placed at the high altar and stands out for its unorthodox style.  Behind the altar are four twisted Corinthian black marble columns, two on each side, between which are the reredos and the painting Our Lady of the Sacred Heart by French artist Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863) who is regarded as the leader of the French Romantic school. The organ was a gift from King Louis-Phillippe (r. 1830-1848) in 1847 and was installed in 1849.  |
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All Photographs were taken by and are copyright of Ron Gatepain
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