This church stands on land that belonged to the Ghibelline Vico di Chiatti in the 14th century. He survived the papal reconquest of Spello in 1358, but was murdered and his lands were confiscated in 1373. The Commune built a tabernacle here to house an image of the Madonna del Latte, which is known as the Madonna del Vico. In 1514, this image was reported to have performed miracles: Gian Paolo Baglioni commissioned the masons Giovanni and Bartolomeo da Domodossola to build the present church in order to house it.
The complex has recently been restored and the ex-convent is used for gastronomic functions. The church is sadly closed.
Exterior
The church is in the form of a Greek cross, with three semi-circular apses and a fourth in the form of a square. The crossing is covered by an octagonal cupola, the eight windows of which are now closed. This plan gives the church its usual name, which is a corruption of “Santa Maria della Rotonda”.
Interior
The church is closed so I do not know whether the following survive. It seems from this photograph by Bill Thayer that it is unlikely.
The design of the choir screen and high altar has been attributed to Simone Mosca.
Madonna del Latte (1373, repainted in the 15th century)
The venerated image for which the church was built is on the high altar. The 15th century repainting is attributed, somewhat uncertainly, to Bartolomeo da Miranda.
Madonna and Child with saints (1533)
This fresco, which is signed by Bernardino Mezzastris and dated by inscription, is in the niche on the left in the square apse. It depicts the Madonna and Child with SS Anna, Joseph and Michael.
Inscription (1st century BC)
Fausto Gentile Donnola (at p. 97 in the edition referenced above) also recorded that:
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“In the convent of the Madonna del Vico, there is a small square stone that was found in 1615, not far from [Chiesa Tonda]” (my translation).
It is clear from Donnola’s transcription that he referred to CIL XI 5263:
[Ser]venius |(mulieris) l(ibertus) Chilo
aedem Minerv(ae) opere
[tec]t(orio) camera(m) limi[na]
[l]api(de) rub(ro) asseres
...m cludend(am)
f(acienda) cur(avit)
The inscription, which is now in is now in the Museo Archeologico, Palazzo Trinci, Foligno, records a temple of Minerva restored in local ‘pietra rossa’ (pink stone) by Servenius Chilo, the freedman of a lady. It is generally related to the Roman sanctuary (some 700 meters south along Via Centrale Umbra) and is discussed in more detail in the page on that site.
