St Donato’s Church

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Il soffitto maiolicato
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The small rural church of St Donato is one kilometre away from Castelli. It was erected on the spot of an agrestic chapel of the late 15th century. Its fame relies on the beautiful majolica tiled ceiling, which Carlo Levi called the ‘Sistine Chapel of the Majolica art’ after he saw it.

The ceiling was realized between 1615 and 1617 using 780 votive tiles from Castelli School. The tiles illustrate sketches, family crests, animals, planetary symbols and flower motives painted in bight colours.

The bricks that today one can see in the small rural church are a replica either of the lost original ones, or of those on display at the Museum of Ceramics in Castelli.