Key to Umbria: Spoleto

Convento dei Cappuccini

(1570)

Capuchin church dedicated to Santa Maria Immacolata di Lourdes on a hill overlooking Spoleto;

Adjacent convent now houses a seminary

Fountains

This page describes:

•the Fonte di Piazza (1746-8), illustrated here; and
•the Fontana di Mascherone (17th century)

Abbazia di Farfa

(6th century ?)

Benedictine abbey, some 100 km south of Spoleto; historic association with the Duchy of Spoleto;

705 - earliest surviving documentation

San Brizio

(12th century)

Church in the village of San Brizio, some 7 km north of Spoleto;

4th century - St Brictius apparently built an oratory here and was buried in it when he died soon afterwards;

ca. 900 - another church apparently built here;

12th century - an important legendary that was written here is now the Diocesan Archive;

1231 - present parish church was first documented;

1252 - adjacent canonica first documented

San Felice di Narco

(12th century)

Benedictine abbey in the Val di Narco, outside Spoleto;

Early 6th century (?) - SS Felix and Maurus apparently built the first hermitage here;

12th century - Benedictine monks drained the surrounding marshland and established a monastery here;

1194 - an important legendary that was written here is now the Diocesan Archive

Congregazione della Sacra Famiglia (1888)

1888 - administered by the Suore della Sacra Famiglia, founded near Trevi by Blessed Peter Bonilli in order to provide social care for his parishioners:
1898 - moved to Spoleto: now the Congregazione delle Suore della Sacra Famiglia di Spoleto

Medieval Walls (1297) and Gates

These walls were built to enclose the suburbs that had grown up outside the Roman city (below) by the 13th century;

The stretch illustrated here is in Via delle Murelle

Nunneries on Colle Ciciano (13th century)

Page describes the nunneries established on Colle Ciciano in the 13th century;

These have all disappeared, except for:

• Santa Maria inter Angelos (illustrated here); and
• Santa Maria Maddalena

Nunneries on Monteluco

(13th century)

Page describes the nunneries established on on the northern slopes of Monteluco in the 13th century;

These have all disappeared, except for the remains of the Eremo di Sant’ Elisabetta

Palazzo della Signoria (14th century)

1230 - Earlier public palace on this site documented as residence of the Podestà;

14th century - construction of its successor was abandoned when it had not proceeded much beyond the level of the Piazza del Duomo; huge arcade of its foundations visible from rear (illustrated here)

Palazzo Vescovile

(15th-17th centuries)

1178 - probable date of construction;

1231 - earliest surviving document;

Radically restructured after earthquakes in: 1571; 1703; and 1762;

Now houses the Museo Diocesano

This page also describes Palazzo del Seminario (1583)

Patrician Palaces

Page describes:

•Palazzo Ancaiani - illustrated here;
•Palazzo Campello;
•Palazzo Collicola;
•Palazzo Leti Sansi;
•Palazzo Mauri;
•Palazzo Pianciani;
•Palazzo Ràcani Arroni ;
•Palazzo Pucci della Genga ; and
•Palazzo Vigili, which incorporates the Torre dell’ Olio (13th century)

Ponte delle Torri

(1359-70 ?)

Bridge and aqueduct across the Tessino;

Probably built at the same time as the Rocca (above), but could be Roman; provided water for the Rocca and the upper part of the city

Rocca di Spoleto (1359-70)

1354 - Cardinal Gil Albornoz regained papal control of Spoleto; began this fortress at the summit of the Colle di Sant' Elia soon after;

Recently restored; now houses the Museo Nazionale del Ducato di Spoleto

Roman Monuments

Page describes the major surviving Roman monuments in Spoleto (mostly 1st century AD):

•forum;
•Roman house;
•so-called basilica;
•Arco di Druso;
•temple;
•theatre (illustrated here);
•so-called Sostruzione Sillane;
•amphitheatre; and
•Ponte Sanguinario

Sant' Agata

(11th century)

Site of one of the earliest parish churches in Spoleto, most of which has been demolished; portico survives;

1395 - Community of nuns from San Paolo inter Vineas (above) acquired the church when they moved to the adjacent Palazzo Corvi;

Early 15th century - nuns extended the nunnery above the site of the Roman theatre; apse and the surviving part of the cloister date to that time;

1855 - nuns moved to Sant’ Ansano (below)

The complex now houses the Museo Archeologico

Sant’ Alò

(12th century ?)

Ancient church;

1885 - became last home in Spoleto of nuns from San Paolo inter Vineas/ Sant’ Agata/ Sant’ Ansano;

1965 - community merged with that of Santa Lucia, Trevi;

1974 - the remaining nuns at Sant' Alò moved to Trevi: complex sold for residential use

Sant’ Angelo

(12th century)

1502-19 - Nunnery built by some of nuns from Santa Maria della Stella (below);

18th century - church

re-modeled

1834 - complex passed to the Congregazione delle Suore Oblate del Bambino Gesù

SS Ansano e Antonio da Padova (12th century)

9th century - first church built on foundations of a Roman temple;

1164 - probable date of consecration of present church, built next to a Benedictine monastery;

1502 - complex passed to Lateran Canons;

18th century - neo-Classical re-modeling of church;

1826 - ownership by Lateran canons ceased;

1896 - after a succession of other owners, complex passed to the Franciscans from SS Simone e Giuda (below); they added the dedication to St Antony of Padua

Sant’ Antonio Abate (16th century)

Probable location of one of the ancient hermitages on Monteluco;

1494 - passed to the Franciscan congregation of the Clarini;

1568 - Clareni suppressed: complex passed Observant Franciscans, who restored and extended it

Sant Apollinare and

Sant' Elia

Page describes two churches (subsequently demolished) that belonged in turn to the Franciscans when they first settled in Spoleto in the early 13th century:

•Sant Apollinare (12th century), which stood on the site of the restaurant of this name (illustrated); and
•Sant' Elia (probably 11th century), on site of the Rocca

SS Apostoli

(8th century ?)

Late 4th century - Bishop Spes buried in this church on Via Flaminia;

8th century (?) - church rebuilt: two marble reliefs from this period (one of which is illustrated above) are now in the Museo del Ducato di Spoleto;

16th century - church fell into disuse;

1867 - converted for residential use

Santa Caterina

(15th century)

1431 - community of female Franciscan tertiaries established here;

1539 - complex transferred the Poor Clares;

1717 - suppressed;

1718-47 - site used for a hospice

San Carlo Borromeo (1789)

Site of the ancient church and hospice of Santa Croce;

1747-1802 - site of the hospital of Spoleto;

Now a hotel.

San Domenico

(13th century)

Site of ancient church of San Salvatore;

1248 - papal legate, Raniero Capocci transferred it to the Dominicans;

1251-91 - present church built;

1789 - much of the convent confiscated during the French occupation;

1915 - Dominicans expelled: church passed to Franciscans;

Church (now dedicated as SS Domenico e Francisco) is once more in the hands of the Dominicans;

Interesting frescoes; open for worship

Sant’ Eufemia

(12th century)

Early 7th century - possible site of palace chapel of Duke Theodelap of Spoleto;

Ca. 980 - Gunderada established a Benedictine nunnery here and probably rebuilt the church: she discovered the relics of St John of Spoleto and translated them to the church, which became known as SS Giovanni e Eufemia;

Early 12th century - church rebuilt;

ca. 1173 - ex-nunnery adapted to form the new Palazzo Vescovile;

1907-54 - church returned to original appearance: unusually tall nave and the only surviving matrons’ gallery in Umbria

San Gregorio della Sinagoga (18th century)

Site of the prison in which St Gregory of Spoleto was held before his martyrdom;

12th century (?) - parish church built here;

18th century - church rebuilt

Sant' Isacco

(12th century)

Crypt under the apse of Sant’ Ansano (above), dedicated to St Isaac (see San Giuliano, above);

Frescoes on the walls of the crypt are the among the oldest that survive in Spoleto;

1502 - church and adjoining monastery passed from the Benedictines to the Lateran Canons, along with San Giuliano (above); relics of St Isaac translated the this crypt from San Giuliano

San Luca

(1790)

ca. 1273 - a community of Brothers of Penance of Christ (Saccati, or "Sack-bearers") settled here just a year before the sect was suppressed; brothers managed to stay at San Luca for a period;

1313 - complex passed to the Servite Order;

1790 - church and convent rebuilt on a larger scale;

1860 - community suppressed;

1947 - church and convent largely demolished to make way for a new women’s prison; a surviving aedicule with an image of the Madonna (illustrated here) records the existence of the complex

San Filippo Neri

(1640-71)

1640 - Oratorian Fathers acquired the site;

1653 - nave of the church was complete;

ca. 1671 - cupola constructed; work began on the convent;

1860 - community suppressed

Now in restoration; convent houses the Tribunale (law courts)

San Francesco di Monteluco (1218)

1218 - monks of San Giuliano (above) apparently gave the church of Santa Caterina here to St Francis; this little church still survives within the complex;

1350 - hermitage documented as one of four that were allowed to adopt the reforms of Gentile da Spoleto;

1355 - this early attempt at reform was reversed;

1374 - hermitage placed under the control of another reformer, Blessed Paoluccio de' Trinci; it took on its present form at that time; 1517 - passed to Observant Franciscans;

1788 - Blessed Leopold of Gaiche retired here;

1860 - escaped suppression because of remote location

San Giovanni Battista (1254)

14th century - Benedictine nuns moved here from San Giovanni del Colle del Consiglio, outside Spoleto;

16th century - new church built in via di Porta Fuga;

1860 - nunnery suppressed and used as a barracks;

The complex is now in restoration (January 2008)

San Giacomo di Spoleto (13th century)

1291 - church and adjacent hospice for pilgrims first documented;

16th century - church was re-modeled;

1526-30 - frescoes executed by Giovanni di Pietro, lo Spagna

San Giovanni di Panaria (12th century)

Ruined church between Castello di Perchia and Baiano;

6th century - apparently the site of the hermitage of St John Penariensis

San Lorenzo

(12th century)

Church in Terzo della Pieve, outside Spoleto, on the site of one of the earliest churches in the diocese;

4th century - an inscription from this church (now in he Museo Diocesano - illustrated here) recorded that Bishop Spes discovered the relics of St Vitalis here;

1910 - church rebuilt

The church is in restoration (January 2008)

SS Giovanni e Paolo

(11th and 12th centuries)

One of the oldest parish churches in Spoleto, dedicated to a pair of early Roman martyrs;

Original location of painted crucifix signed (by Alberto Sotio) and dated (1187) that is now in Duomo;

Church still contains many important frescoes, including one of the earliest depictions in Italy of the martyrdom of St Thomas à Becket

San Giuliano

(12th century)

Early 6th century - according to tradition, St Isaac founded a hermitage here on Monteluco and was subsequently buried in the it; it was mentioned in two letters of Pope Pelagius I;

12th century - Benedictine monks built present church;

1502 - complex passed to Lateran Canons; relics of St Isaac translated to their other newly acquired complex, Sant’ Ansano (below)

San Gregorio Maggiore (1079-1146)

303 - St Abbondanza (the virgin) said to have buried St Gregory of Spoleto in a Christian cemetery here;

840 - St Abbondanza (the virgin) said to have built a church here to house his relics;

1079 - construction of present church began

1146 - church consecrated as "Sanctorum Martirum Gregorii et Paractalis" (SS Gregory and Barattalis; a community of canons here and an adjacent hospice documented soon after;

1907 - facade was returned to its original appearance

1947-50 - interior restored

Usually open

Santa Maria della Stella (1254-9)

1254 - Bishop Bartolomeo Accoramboni laid the foundation stone of a new hospice here for pilgrims, orphans and the sick; he established an adjacent nunnery and introduced a dispensation that allowed the nuns to administer the hospice;

1259 - Bishop Accorombani moved the nuns of San Tommaso (below) here;

1392 - community took over the church and hospice of San Matteo (below);

1726 - the hospice had ceased to operate by this date;

1798 - nunnery suppressed; complex adapted to serve as a barracks (Caserma Minervio) and military hospital;

Nuns subsequently moved to San Ponziano (below);

Church sometimes open for exhibitions

San Marco

(12th century)

Abbey outside the Roman walls that was documented in the Dialogues of Pope Gregory I (ca. 593) and in one of his slightly later letters;

10th century - complex apparently destroyed in Saracen raids;

12th century - probable date of subsequent rebuilding;

1252 - documented as a possession of the Abbazia di Farfa (below);

Subsequently abandoned and now in ruins;

Part of the original mosaic floor has been excavated and is now in the Museo Nazionale del Ducato di Spoleto

San Matteo

(1227)

1227 - Bishop Benedetto authorised a community of male Franciscan tertiaries to build a church and hospice here;

1392 - the Franciscans ceded the complex to the nuns of Santa Maria della Stella (above);

1798 - nunnery suppressed; complex converted into a military hospital;

1939 - hospital here closed when the new hospital opened in the ex-Collegio della Madonna di Loreto (above)

San Michele Arcangelo di Eggi (12th century)

Church beside the entrance to the walled village of Eggi;

15th century - frescoes executed; these include the autograph works of the so-called Maestro di Eggi

San Michele Arcangelo di Gavelli (15th century)

Church built on the site of a more ancient chapel;

1518-23 - frescoes executed by Giovanni di Pietro, Lo Spaga

San Pietro in Valle

(11th century)

Early 8th century - Lombard Duke of Spoleto, Faroald II apparently founded a monastery here on the site of the hermitage of the SS Lazarus and John;

881 - Saracens destroyed complex:

996 - Emperor Otto III restored it;

1016 - Emperor Henry II financed further work;

1477 - Pope Sixtus IV granted it in commendam to the Ancaiani family;

1860 - suppressed Subsequently passed into private ownership; visits possible; important early frescoes survive

Eremo di Santa Maria delle Grazie (1727-8)

1502 - the ancient hermitage here grew in importance when the Benedictines left San Giuliano (above);

1547 - Bishop Fabio Vigili organised the remaining hermits on Monteluco as the Congregazione dei Padri Eremiti di Monteluco, with their activities centred on the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie;

1727-8 - Cardinal Camillo Cibo built the current church on the site

Santa Maria di Loreto (1572-1621)

1571 - church commissioned in order to house an image of the Madonna and Child that was thought to have protected Spoleto from an earthquake;

1572 - Bishop Fulvio Orsini laid the foundation stone;

1604- construction still in progress when a community of Barnabites established the adjacent Collegio della Madonna di Loreto;

1621 - church consecrated;

1798 - community suppressed;

1803 - complex passed to the Augustinians of San Nicolò (below);

1925 - complex passed to the Capuchin Fathers;

1936 - college demolished in to make way for the new hospital;

2004 - church re-opened for worship after restoration

Santa Maria della

Manna d' Oro (1528)

1527 - Commune commissioned church when Imperial troops left Spoleto unmolested after the sack of Rome;

Lower storey of the church was built quite quickly but the octagonal lantern above belongs to a later phase of construction;

Sometimes open for exhibitions

Santa Maria della Misericordia (1304)

Oratory under the tribune of San Nicolò (below) that belonged to the Confraternita della Misericordia e della Buona Morte

Santa Maria della Piaggia (1594-1605)

15th century - site of an oratory that belonged to the Confraternita della Concezione and housed a venerated image of the Madonna del Latte;

1594-1605 - current church built: the venerated image is in a baroque tabernacle on the high altar;

1621 - church passed to the Jesuits;

1773 - church returned to the confraternity when the Jesuits were suppressed;

19th century - church de-consecrated;

2007 - church re-opened for worship

Santa Maria del Pozzo (15th century)

Oratory built over a well with miraculous properties that still survives in front of its altar;

1491 - execution of the venerated fresco of the Madonna and Child with saints on the altar wall (visible through a grating at the entrance)

San Pietro

(12th century)

Bishop Achilles (died ca. 420) built the first church on the lower slopes of Monteluco; he was buried here, as were many of his immediate successors;

1128 - a college of canons existed at San Pietro by this time: it presumably built the present church;

1329 - Ghibelline faction in Spoleto burned the church; it was rebuilt over the following 70 years;

1699 - interior of the church was re-modeled; fine facade of the 12th century church survives

San Pietro Martire

(14th century)

Subterranean church under the apse of San Domenico (above);

1997 - badly damaged in the earthquake and now closed (January 2008)

Oratorio di San Pietro Martire next to the church, which belonged to the Confraternita di San Pietro Martire, now forms part of the Istituto Statale d’ Arte “Leoncillo Leonardi”; it contains a fresco (ca. 1520) of the Crucifixion with saints that is attributed to Giovanni di Pietro, Lo Spagna

San Ponziano

(11th century)

Church dedicated to St Pontian, one of the two protomartyrs of Spoleto, who was apparently buried here in the 2nd century;

Site subsequently passed to Benedictine nuns, perhaps at the time that current church was built;

1521 - complex passed to Poor Clares from Santa Maria di Monteluce, Perugia;

1788 - interior re-modeled, but the crypt retains its original appearance.;

1860 - suppressed; buildings were sold for private use

1905 - community of female Lateran canons moved here from Santa Maria della Stella. (below)

SS Simone e Giuda (1252-60)

1250 - Provincial Minister of Umbria, Blessed Simone da Collazzone, died at Sant’ Elia (above); Franciscans began the construction of this church, dedicatd as SS Simone e Giuda, and adjacent convent soon after;

1260 - relics of “St” Simon were translated with great solemnity to the new church, albeit that the process for his canonisation was inconclusive;

1863 - complex suppressed and adapted for military use;

1893 - convent adapted for use as an orphanage;

1896 - the few friars who had managed to remain in Spoleto moved to Sant’ Ansano (above);

1950 - part of convent demolished;

The church is now an empty shell, but it is still used for performances during the Festival dei Due Mondi

Chiesa della Trinità and Santa Maria delle Grazie

Chiesa della Trinità

1138 - first documented, when belonged to Augustinian nuns;

1459 - passed to Servite tertiaries from San Concordio (now San Salvatore - above);

1556 - nuns made responsible for the administration of the hospice of Santa Croce (later San Carlo Borromeo - above);

1640 - present church built - old church served as its choir;

1716 - nuns relieved of obligation for hospice;

1860 - suppressed; complex housed a public library until 1932; now serves a gymnasium.

Santa Maria delle Grazie

16th century - Servite sisters built this oratory in the garden of the nunnery.

It still houses the altarpiece (16th century) of the Madonna delle Grazie for which it was named;

Open for worship

Theatres (19th century)

Page describes two theatres that now provide the main indoor venues for the annual Festival dei Due Mondi:

•Teatro Nuovo (1854-64); and
•Teatro Caio Melisso (1877-80), illustrated here

San Sabino

(12th century)

303 - Serena, a pious widow, apparently buried St Sabinus here after his martyrdom;

6th century - Paul the Deacon, in his "History of the Lombards", made two references to a church near Spoleto that was dedicated to St Sabinus;

1623 - present church re-modeled in Baroque style;

1768 - church largely rebuilt after the earthquake; however, the original apse and apsidal chapels survive, as does the crypt, which contains relics of St Sabinus

San Tommaso

(13th century)

1235 - nunnery first documented

1259 - Bishop Bartolomeo Accorombani moved the nuns to Santa Maria della Stella (above);

church has been adapted for residential use; its lovely apse survives

Tempietto del Clitunno (7th century?)

Page describes:

•the ancient church known as the Tempietto del Clitnno, with important early frescoes; and
•the nearby source of the river, the Fonte del Clitunno

San Rocco

(1490-2)

Church originally dedicated as Santa Maria del Massaccio;

1490-2 - payments made to the architect Francesco da Pietrasanta for the design and construction of the present church

1790 - acquired its present dedication;

Exterior of the church was never finished; now abandoned

San Salvatore

(7th or 8th century?)

Church on the site of an early Christian cemetery in which two saints were apparently buried:

•St Concordius, one of the two protomartyrs of Spoleto, in the 2nd century; and
•St Senzius in the 5th century.

1064 - earliest documentation of present church, when it was dedicated to St Concordius and belonged to a community of nuns;

1235-63 - belonged to the Augustinian hermits who subsequently moved to San Nicolò (below); subsequently passed to a series of (mostly female) communities;

1624 - passed to an order of reformed Augustinian canons, by which time it was more generally known as SS Crocifisso;

1860 - became known as San Salvatore (on shaky historical grounds); subsequently de-consecrated;

1906 restored; open for visits

San Sebastiano

(17th century)

15th century - original oratory here became a popular cult site and the focus of penitential processions;

1484-91 - Commune took it over and extended it;

17th century rebuilt;

Later deconsecrated and now serves as a restaurant

San Michele Arcangelo (17th century)

428 - oratory built on presumed site of the baptistery that St Senzius established at the top of Colle Ciciano in 5th century, at the place in which he killed a dragon;

17th century - oratory rebuilt;

Now abandoned and hidden in trees

San Nicolò

(1304)

1263 - a community of Augustinian hermits from what is now San Salvatore (below) moved here and began the construction of the present church;

17th century - convent, which had initially been very successful, declined considerably;

1798 - community suppressed; complex had a variety of secular uses;

1803 - friars moved to the Collegio di Santa Maria di Loreto (above);

1967- complex restored: now used for exhibitions and conferences

San Paolo inter Vineas (10th century)

Site of church documented in the Dialogues of Pope Gregory I (ca. 593);

1007 - earliest surviving reference to the present church, which was then part of a Benedictine nunnery

1219 - the future Pope Gregory IX incorporated the nuns into the new order of the Poor Ladies of San Damiano;

1234 - Gregory IX re-consecrated the church and gave the nuns a number of precious relics;

1395 - nuns left for the safer site of Sant’ Agata (below);

1454 - Observant Franciscans acquired the complex;

Early 19th century - community suppressed; convent transformed into an old people’s home;

Church open for worship; part of the ex-convent now houses a catering college

San Gregorio Minore

(1725)

Site of an ancient church built above part of the Roman amphitheatre, where St Gregory of Spoleto was martyred;

1406 - Poor Clares moved here from Santa Maria inter Angelos on Colle Ciciano; their new nunnery nunnery became known as the Monastero delle Palazze;

1860 - Poor Clares moved to Sant' Omobono (below)

Villa Redenta (17th century)

1603 - palace was first documented as a “Perpulchrum Palatium”;

1823 - Marchese Francesco Marignoli bought it, probably on behalf of Pope Leo XII;

It subsequently passed out of the family until Marchese Filippo Marignoli re-acquired it at the end of the 19th century, which gave rise to the name “Villa Redenta” (redeemed villa);

1973 - Province of Perugia acquired it;

It was restored in 1995 and again in 2003

Palazzo Comunale (1706-86)

1703 - original public palace largely destroyed in an earthquake; civic tower (13th century) is all that survives;

1767 - much of palace rebuilt after another earthquake, incorporating:

• Monte di Pietà (1469);
• Palazzo Pagani (16th century); and
• Palazzo Martorelli Orsini (16th century)