The Ospedale di Santa Maria was recorded here in 1341, when it belonged to the Franciscan followers of Angelo Clareno from San Lorenzo di Rapecchiano (between Spello and Foligno). By 1350, it had passed to the Knights Hospitaller of St John of Jerusalem and had become known as the Ospedale di San Giovanni Battista. It was associated with the nunnery of Santa Maria del Popolo.
In 1448, the complex passed to the newly-instituted Confraternita della Pietà, and became known as the Ospedale di San Giovanni Battista della Pietà. It subsequently absorbed most of the other hospices of Foligno. Pope Julius II approved this rationalisation in 1510, and placed the hospital under the control of the Cathedral Chapter. They rebuilt it in the period 1517-20.
Gregorio Piermarini, who was the last in the family line, bequeathed his estate to the hospital. The bequest, which included the site of the monastery of San Giovanni Battista, was used to begin the construction of a new hospital on that site in 1845. From this point, the hospital in what is now Corso Cavour was known as the Ospedale Vecchio. It was closed in 1860 and restructured in 1873-4 in order to house the Scuola di Arti e Mestieri (technical college).
Chiesa del Ospedale di San Giovanni Battista
The church that formed part of the complex was first documented in 1573, when it was described as small and in good condition. An inventory of the paintings of Foligno assembled in 1852 described it as covered with frescoes. The church and many of its frescoes were destroyed in 1873-4.
Art from the Church
The following frescoes, which were detached from the church shortly before its demolition in 1873-4, are now in the Pinacoteca Civica.
Coronation of the Virgin (1486)
St Jerome as cardinal and as penitent (late 15th century)
Pieta (late 15th century)
Madonna and Child with angels (15th century)
Only the upper part of this detached fresco survives. It is attributed to Ugolino di Gisberto.
St Amicus (1508)
Fresco Fragment (16th century)
This fragment of a fresco of the Nativity depicts the baby Jesus lying in a meadow.
