Scrovegni Chapel

Looking to the modest stoned chapel, it is hard to believe that it contains the treasures – the frescos of the famous Italian painter Giotto. 

The chapel was a project of Enrico Scrovegni, and that time was called Church of Santa Maria della Carità. Enrico was a son of a money-lender Reginaldo, who was criticized by Dante in “Divine Comedy”. To make amends, the architect decided to build the church for the city. Some time later, the locals named it “Scrovegni Chapel”. 

But the chapel is unique not by the facade, but the interior. While all the other painters made their work in Gothic style, the Italian did in in Renaissance style, though this term did not even exist in art. The painting is also unique by the fact that Giotto became the first Italian painter, depicting the birth of Jesus Christ. At the same time, the author tried to make the biblical personalities look like ordinary people. As an example, Joseph got asleep, waiting for the Christ’s birth, and Juda became surprised while Jesus kissed him. 

The chapel painting has 3 stages with different stories: Birth of the Vigin Mary, The Last Supper and The Last Judgment. 

It is interesting that on the fresco “Adoration of the Magi” you can even see the Halley’s comet, which was above Earth, the day of the chapel establishing.  By the way, the author painted the fresco for several years.

If coming to the chapel late in the evening, you can take part in the program "Giotto under Stars”, to see the starry sky and to learn the story of the building during the spectacle.