From the Survey to the 3D Animation: The Santa Maria in Solario Chapel in Brescia(Italy) 
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The church oi St. Salvatore has now a longitudinal plant, with three aisles, divided by two lines of columns. The plant of the basilica 
is inspired by models ot Ravenna. The columns and the capitals in stone and in plaster belong to different epoches: from the Roman 
age to the VIII century. On the walls of the central aisle, above the arcs, are visible traces of frescos of Carolingian age. Along the 
northern aisle should be seen three chapels added in the XIV century, decorated with frescos of different epoches. The three apses 
and the wooden roof to trusses belong to the restaurations performed in the 1958. 
The sacellum (oratory) ot Saint Maria in Solario built toward the half of the XII century and incorporated in the following 
amplifications ot the monastery, it’s like a small fort instead a sacred building. The building of square plant, externally conformed 
almost to tower, was probably situated in angle to the original monastery. The building structure composed with tanned of local stone 
(medolo) well square and disposed on horizontal courses, included fragments of Roman headstones. The wall which turns to south is 
animated from three pilaster strip and decorated in the superior part from simple arcs. The building has an octagonal lantern with a 
small loggia composed by little arcs on little pillars and mullions. The mullions and the capitals belong to the VIII and IX centuries. 
The building has two storeys. The ground floor has illuminated from two hold windows and covered with four cross vaults that lean 
on arcs inserted along the walls and on a Roman altar to the center, used as a pillar. 
The upper floor (solarium) of Saint Maria in Solario has a squared plant with three small semicircular niches obtained from the 
Oriental wall, is covered with a semispheric dome which is connected to the walls with pendentives. In the northern wall a small 
door introduces staircase, obtained in the thickness of the masonry, that connects the two storeys: a fragment of Roman epoch acts 
from lintel to the door of the staircase that conducts to the room of the ground floor. At the upper floor there is a second door, today 
not practicable, which connected this storey of Saint Maria in Solario with the environments of the convent. 
The walls are entirely decorated with frescos of different epoches. The best part of the paintings have performed between the second 
and the third decade of the Five hundred, from Floriano Ferramola. The subjects of the paintings describe the history of the 
monasticism, the devotions traditionally practiced in the monastery and the struggle against the heresy. 
Inside the solarium there is the cross of the Desiderio King that represents an important jewellery work of the end of the VIII century. 
The cross is in metallic league on wooden structure, has characterized from many of smooth stones, incised or impressed and of 
glassy transparent cameos of Carolingian epoch. 
The architectural form of the building of Saint Maria in Solario finds a justification both in the different use of the two storeys 
(treasury and church) as from the religious point of view: the inferior square plant, as square it is the representative sign of the earth, 
raises toward a circular dome, like circular it is the sign of the kingdom of God. 
Figure 1: The view of Santa Giulia monastery. Inside the rectangle you can see the external shape oi the chapel