Dantesque Allegories in the symbolic architecture of Triduum Structures

The Triduum structures are temporary scenarios created after the Catholic- Reformation to strongly affirm the existence of Purgatory and the possibility for the sinner to aspire to the redemption of sins and then ascend to Paradise. They are set up three days per year in the presbytery of the church, sur- mounting the main altar integrating into its shape, or completely hiding it. Enhanced by symbolic decorative elements, their architectural structures seem to highlight allegories – not fully examined yet –reflecting situations in Dan- te’s Divine Comedy. The theme of the religious structures can be found in the treatise "Instruc- tionum fabricae et suppellectilis ecclesiasticae" by St. Charles Borromeo: as of this date, the Baroque ornamental character develops. As for Dante we mention the recent editorial by Franco Purini, “Dante and Architecture” (2018) where he suggests a very interesting reinterpretation of the “architecture of the situations”, meaning Hell, Purgatory and Paradise. After an in-depth historical-bibliographical research, video and photo shootings during the assembly sessions and the celebrations of the Triduum functions, we proceeded by cataloguing. We analyzed architectural, ornate, typological, distributive, ornamental and symbolical aspects. We analyzed topic of “Architecture and Art” considering these installa- tions as real artistic works, one different from the other, consistent with the Baroque style guidelines. The focus of this paper is the innovative relevance of the architectural lan- guage which set ups symbolize: they are fictional spaces and, at the same time, they are places of imagery. The imaginary spaces represented (Purgatory, Paradise) refer to the pyra- mid-step-shaped structure and to the main focusing element: the sunburst. This interpretation is supported by the iconography of Dante's spaces, starting from the one in the Canto, up to various ancient paintings.