Abbazia di Farfa (6th century ?)
This Benedictine abbey, some 100 km south of Spoleto; historic association with the Duchy of Spoleto. It was first documented in 705 AD.
Congregazione della Sacra Famiglia (1888)
Convento dei Cappuccini (1570)
Duomo (ca. 1178-1216)
Fonte del Clitunno
Fountains
✴the Fonte di Piazza (1746-8), illustrated here; and
✴the Fontana di Mascherone (17th century).
Medieval Walls (1297) and Gates
Nunneries on Colle Ciciano (13th century)
✴Santa Maria inter Angelos (illustrated here); and
✴Santa Maria Maddalena.
Nunneries on Monteluco (13th century)
Palazzo Comunale (1706-86)
✴Monte di Pietà (1469);
✴Palazzo Pagani (16th century); and
✴Palazzo Martorelli Orsini (16th century).
Palazzo della Signoria (14th century)
Palazzo Vescovile (15th-17th centuries)
Patrician Palaces
This 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 ?)
This bridge and aqueduct across the Tessino was probably built at the same time as the Rocca (below), but at least part of the structure could be Roman. It provided water for the Rocca and the upper part of the city.
Rocca di Spoleto (1359-70)
Roman Monuments (mostly 1st century AD)
✴the forum;
✴the Roman house;
✴the so-called basilica;
✴the Arco di Druso;
✴the Roman temple;
✴the Roman theatre (illustrated here);
✴the so-called Sostruzione Sillane;
✴the Roman amphitheatre; and
✴Ponte Sanguinario.
Roman Walls and Gates (ca. 241 BC)
This page describes the circuit of walls that were built to enclose Roman Spoletium, which used a much older circuit as its foundation. Only one of the original four gates, the Arco di Monterone (illustrated here), survives.
Sant' Agata (11th century)
This church stands on the site of one of the earliest parish churches in Spoleto, most of which has been demolished; only the portico survives from the original structure. A community of nuns from San Paolo inter Vineas (below) acquired the church in 1395 ,when they moved to the adjacent Palazzo Corvi. The nuns extended the nunnery above the site of the Roman theatre (above) in the early 15th century; the apse and the surviving part of the cloister date to that time. The nuns moved to Sant’ Ansano (below) in 1855, and the complex now houses the Museo Archeologico.
Sant’ Alò (12th century ?)
Sant’ Angelo (12th century)
SS Ansano e Antonio da Padova (12th century)
Sant’ Antonio Abate (16th century)
Sant Apollinare and Sant' Elia
✴Sant Apollinare (12th century), which stood on the site of the restaurant of this name (illustrated); and
✴Sant' Elia (probably 11th century), which was demolished to make way for the Rocca (above)
SS Apostoli (8th century ?)
Bishop Spes was buried in the first church on this site beside ia Flaminia in the late 4th century. It was subsequently rebuilt, probably in the 8th century. Two marble reliefs from this period (one of which is illustrated above) are now in the Museo del Ducato di Spoleto. The church fell into disuse in the 16th century and was converted for residential use in 1867.
San Brizio (12th century)
Santa Caterina (15th century)
San Carlo Borromeo (1789)
This was the site of the ancient church and hospice of Santa Croce and then, in 1747-1802, of the hospital of Spoleto. Th complex has been adapted as a hotel.
San Domenico (13th century)
In 1248, the papal legate, Raniero Capocci, transferred the ancient church of San Salvatore here to the Dominicans, who built the present church and adjacent convent in 1251-91. A large part of the convent confiscated during the French occupation of 1789. The Dominicans expelled in 191, at which point the complex passed to Franciscans. The church (now dedicated as SS Domenico e Francisco) is once more in the hands of the Dominicans and open for worship.
Sant’ Eufemia (12th century)
San Felice di Narco (12th century)
This Benedictine abbey is in the Val di Narco, outside Spoleto. SS Felix and Maurus apparently built the first hermitage here in the early 6th century. A community of Benedictine monks drained the surrounding marshland and established a monastery here in the 12th century. An important legendary (1194) from this monastery is now the Diocesan Archive.
San Filippo Neri (1640-71)
San Francesco di Monteluco (1218)
San Giacomo di Spoleto (13th century)
This church and adjacent hospice for pilgrims outside Spoleto was first documented in 1291. The church was re-modeled in the 16th century. It contains interesting frescoes (1526-3) by Giovanni di Pietro, lo Spagna.
San Giovanni Battista (1254)
San Giovanni di Panaria (12th century)
SS Giovanni e Paolo (11th and 12th centuries)
San Giuliano (12th century)
San Gregorio Maggiore (1079-1146)
San Gregorio Minore (1725)
San Gregorio della Sinagoga (18th century)
Sant' Isacco (12th century)
San Lorenzo (12th century)
San Luca (1790)
San Marco (12th century)
Eremo di Santa Maria delle Grazie (1727-8)
Santa Maria di Loreto (1572-1621)
This church was commissioned in order to house an image of the Madonna and Child that was thought to have protected Spoleto from an earthquake in 1571. Bishop Fulvio Orsini laid the foundation stone in the following year, but construction still in progress in 1604, when a community of Barnabites established the adjacent Collegio della Madonna di Loreto. The church was finally consecrated in 1621. The Barnabites were expelled in 1798, and complex passed: to the Augustinians of San Nicolò (below) in 1803; and then to the Capuchin Fathers in 1925. The college was demolished in 1936 to make way for the new hospital. The church re-opened for worship in 2004 after restoration.
Santa Maria della Manna d' Oro (1528)
Santa Maria della Misericordia (1304)
This oratory under the tribune of San Nicolò (below) belonged to the Confraternita della Misericordia e della Buona Morte.
Santa Maria della Piaggia (1594-1605)
In the15th century, an oratory here that belonged to the Confraternita della Concezione housed a venerated image of the Madonna del Latte. The current church was built to provide more appropriate accommodation for it, and it is now in a baroque tabernacle on the high altar. The church passed to the Jesuits in 1621, but was returned to the confraternity when the Jesuits were suppressed in 1773. It was de-consecrated in the 19th century, but re-opened for worship in 2007.
Santa Maria del Pozzo (15th century)
Santa Maria della Stella (1254-9)
Bishop Bartolomeo Accoramboni laid the foundation stone of a new hospice here for pilgrims, orphans and the sick in 1254. He also established an adjacent nunnery and introduced a dispensation that allowed the nuns to administer the hospice. He moved the nuns of San Tommaso (below) here in 1259. The nuns took over the church and hospice of San Matteo (below) in 1392. The hospice had ceased to operate by 1726. The nunnery was suppressed in 1798 , and the complex was adapted to serve as a barracks (Caserma Minervio) and military hospital. The nuns subsequently moved to San Ponziano (below). The church is sometimes open for exhibitions.
San Matteo (1227)
San Michele Arcangelo (17th century)
San Michele Arcangelo di Eggi (12th century)
San Michele Arcangelo di Gavelli (15th century)
This church at Gavelli (outside Spoleto) was built on the site of a more ancient chapel. It contains frescoes (1518-23) by Giovanni di Pietro, lo Spaga.
San Nicolò (1304)
San Paolo inter Vineas (10th century)
San Pietro (12th century)
San Pietro Martire (14th century)
San Pietro in Valle (11th century)
San Ponziano (11th century)
San Rocco (1490-2)
San Sabino (12th century)
San Salvatore (7th or 8th century?)
✴St Concordius, one of the two protomartyrs of Spoleto, in the 2nd century; and
✴St Senzius in the 5th century.
The present church was documented in 1064, when it was dedicated to St Concordius and belonged to a community of nuns. However, it clearly dates to a much earlier period. In 1235-6, it belonged to the Augustinian hermits who subsequently moved to San Nicolò (above), and it then passed to a series of (mostly female) religious communities. In 1624, it passed to an order of reformed Augustinian canons, by which time it was more generally known as SS Crocifisso. It became known as San Salvatore (on shaky historical grounds) in 1860. It was subsequently de-consecrated, but opened for visits after its restoration in 1906.
San Sebastiano (17th century)
The original oratory here became a popular cult site and the focus of penitential processions in the 15th century. The Commune took it over and extended it in 1484-91, and it was rebuilt in the 17th century. It was subsequently deconsecrated and now serves as a restaurant.
SS Simone e Giuda (1252-60)
The Franciscans began the construction of this church and adjacent convent in 1250, shortly after the death at Sant’ Elia (above) of their revered Provincial Minister of Umbria, Blessed Simone da Collazzone. It was probably dedicated as SS Simone e Giuda with a view to a subtle change after his anticipated canonisation. The relics of “St” Simon were translated with great solemnity to the new church in 1260, albeit that the process for his canonisation was inconclusive. The complex suppressed in 1863 and adapted initially for military use. The convent was then adapted for use as an orphanage in 1893. The few friars who had managed to remain in Spoleto moved to Sant’ Ansano (above) in 1896, and part of convent was demolished in 1950. The church is now an empty shell, but it is still used for performances during the Festival dei Due Mondi.
San Tommaso (13th century)
SS Trinità and Oratorio di Santa Maria delle Grazie
✴The Chiesa SS Trinità (1640) stands on the site of an earlier church that was first documented in 1138, when belonged to a community of Augustinian nuns. It passed to Servite tertiaries from San Concordio (now San Salvatore,above) in 1459. The nuns were made responsible for the administration of the hospice of Santa Croce (later San Carlo Borromeo, above) 1556. When present church was built , old church served as its choir. The nuns relieved of obligation for hospice in 1716 and their community was suppressed in 1860. The complex housed a public library until 1932 and now serves a gymnasium.
✴The Oratorio di Santa Maria delle Grazie (16th century) was built by the Servite sisters in the garden of their nunnery. It still houses the altarpiece (16th century) of the Madonna delle Grazie for which it was named, and is pen for worship.
Tempietto del Clitunno (7th century?)
Theatres (19th century)
This 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 .
Villa Redenta (17th century)
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