This Baroque altar in inlaid polychrome marble, made and assembled by CusenzaMarmi in the Church of the Annunziata in Isnello, PA, blends perfectly with the 17th-century context of the church's main altarpiece.

Introducing a new element inside an ancient church is never an easy thing to do, all the more so when it is the altar, the centerpiece of every Christian church.
Or one introduces an element completely at odds with the context, an altar with a modern design, which, however, requires on the part of the observer a sensitivity to art that unfortunately not everyone has.

Or one makes an altar that reflects the style (in this case Baroque) of the context in which it is to be placed. Even in this case, however, the risk is to rely on master craftsmen who lack the experience and knowledge of the techniques of the past and who venture into achievements of little value and little keeping with the aesthetic taste of the period.

In Isnello, at the Church of the Annunziata, CusenzaMarmi was chosen to be entrusted with the creation of a baroque-style altar that would blend in with the pre-existing context of the beautiful Church of the Annunziata: a true little jewel of the Madonie Mountains. The end result fully soddsfatto the parish priest and left the faithful speechless!

MARBLE ALTAR WITH EASY ASSEMBLY

One of the most common requests we get is to contain the weight of the marble altar. Often church structures either have crypts below the apse or the floors themselves are so old and/or valuable that they do not allow the use of mechanical lifting equipment to be able to place the altar. In the case of a monoblock, the only way is to excavate it inside but this unfortunately raises the final price.

The only way is then to build the 4 sides separately plus the mensa and then assemble them in place with high-strength epoxy mastics. Inside the new altar are usually placed the remains of the old altar. Assembly ends with the placement of the mensa, which, depending on its size and thickness, can reach weights of 300-400 kg on its own...a little shared effort and the end result is a marble altar that is light in weight but looks equally magnificent!

Another important aspect in defining the altar is the choice of the place where the relic will be placed for consecration. Essentially it can be provided inside the altar or at the foot, inside a small crypt under the floor.
In the first case it should be studied in advance so as to make the marble compartment that will contain the shrine with the holy relic.

This altar was mounted on April 26, 2013 and was consecrated by His Excellency the Bishop of Cefalù, Bishop Manzella on May 2 of the same year.