Museo diocesano della Spezia
Diocesan museum in the Oratorio di San Bernardino, in via del Prione, with paintings, sculptures and sacred furnishings from churches in the city and the Gulf of La Spezia.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Diocesan Museum of La Spezia was established in 2003 to preserve and promote the artistic heritage of the churches of the city, the Gulf and the Riviera. It is part of the system of the Diocesan Museums of La Spezia, Sarzana and Brugnato.
It is housed in the Oratorio di San Bernardino, a 15th-century building that was the first church encountered on entering the city through Porta Santa Maria. It was the seat of the Confraternita di San Bernardino until 1812, when a Napoleonic decree dissolved it and the building passed to the municipality; it was later used as a warehouse, a council chamber and the headquarters of the Pubblica Assistenza (volunteer emergency service). The last renovations, in 2000, turned it into a museum; the “Tesoro” (Treasury) occupies the raised room at the back.
The collections include paintings, sculptures and liturgical objects from religious buildings that still exist or have disappeared, as well as documents. Among the main works are a chalice by a Parisian silversmith of 1532–1533, an Ecce Homo from the workshop of Anton Maria Maragliano and a Madonna with Child by Jacopo Spinolotto of 1474, recovered by the Carabinieri after the theft of 1974.
Highlights
- Chalice by a Parisian silversmith, 1532–1533
- Ecce Homo from the workshop of Maragliano
- Madonna with Child by Jacopo Spinolotto (1474)
- 16th-century wooden tabernacle from Monterosso
- 15th-century oratory in the historic centre
Permanent exhibition
- Collezione d’arte sacra della diocesi – Paintings, sculptures and liturgical objects from churches in the city, the Gulf and the Riviera, with sections on the history of the diocese.
- Founded
- 2003
- Operated by
- Diocesi della Spezia-Sarzana-Brugnato
- Visitors per year
- approx. 700
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €4.50 |
|---|
Price according to the Musei Italiani portal (2023).
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided tours and group visits can be booked by phone on 0187 625174 or by e-mail at diocesanosarzana@gmail.com. |
