| “The beginning of the medieval artistic history of Puglia is marked by a true masterpiece, the cycle of frescoes in the so-called 'tempietto' (small temple) of the Seppannibale masseria (traditional farmhouse) near Fasano”. The verdict of the illustrious medieval historian Valentino Pace clearly expresses the extraordinary importance of this building, located near the SS 16 highway. It was probably built by Benedictine monks in the 8th century, during the period of Lombard domination, in order to serve the religious needs of the nearby settlement, composed of dwellings carved from the rock. Large blocks of carparo stone are distributed over an area 8 metres by 8. The internal space is separated into three naves with two square pillars in the middle and four semi-pillars in the walls. There are two cupolas in line above the central nave and barrel vaults with diaphragm arches over the lateral naves, making this monument in Fasano the forerunner of the “in-line cupolas” model that was to become so widespread in the Romanesque architecture of Puglia. Of Lombard inspiration are the sturdy cubic capitals – in which it is said that “the near 'barbaric' plastic forms take on elementary graphic shapes” (Aceto). Also in the Lombard style are the frescoes, which express the highest artistic culture of the contemporary court of Arechis II of Benevento. In the cupolas can be seen fragments of a cycle based on the Revelation, including the vision of the candelabras, the woman and the dragon and the presentation of the book to St. John the Evangelist. Of a New-Testament inspired cycle in the south nave, only the grandiose Annunciation to Zechariah remains. |