Historic monuments and museums itinerary
Exploring these historic monuments and museums in Antrodoco offers a journey through the city's past, allowing visitors to appreciate the cultural and historical richness that characterizes this fascinating destination in the heart of Italy.
Santa Maria extra Moenia
Santa Maria Extra Moenia
Historical Significance and Architecture
Santa Maria Extra Moenia, a national monument, is a treasure of medieval art located just outside Antrodoco. It is believed to have been built upon the ruins of a fifth-century pagan temple dedicated to Diana, near an early Christian cemetery. Traces of the original Roman construction are no longer visible due to the numerous restorations carried out over the centuries.
Restoration and Recognition
The church underwent restoration during the ninth and tenth centuries and was enlarged in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. It is mentioned by Pope Anastasius IV in a papal bull dated 1154, and its consecration under Bishop Gerardo of Rieti in November 1051 was confirmed by Frederick I in December 1178.
Architectural Features
The church has three naves. The upper section of the apse features a fresco of the “Redeemer in Blessing.” The façade, with its irregular roofline and facing of roughly hewn stone, is distinguished by a remarkable semicircular arch supported by an architrave decorated with carved leaves and stylised animals. The columns with foliage capitals are set slightly back from those supporting the arch. The bell tower on the left displays a variety of single, double, and triple lancet windows, reflecting the different phases of restoration.
Artistic Highlights
Inside, the best-preserved painting is The Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, dating from the first half of the fifteenth century.
Baptistery of St John the Baptist
Location and Architecture
The Baptistery of Saint John, part of the architectural complex of the Church of Santa Maria Extra Moenia in Antrodoco, is a unique hexagonal structure within the region, more typical of northern Italian architecture. Situated to the right of the church, the baptistery stands out for its distinctive ground plan and for architectural features unparalleled in the surrounding area.
Interior and Frescoes
The interior of the baptistery is particularly remarkable for its frescoes dating to the late fourteenth century. Created by painters from the Umbrian, Latium, and Abruzzo schools, these works depict narrative cycles such as the Stories of Saint John the Baptist, the Flight into Egypt, and the Massacre of the Innocents. Above the entrance door is a fresco of the Last Judgement. Other significant paintings include a Pietà and the figure of the Forerunner.
Restoration
In recent years, the frescoes of the baptistery have undergone careful restoration, ensuring the preservation and enhanced appreciation of these important examples of medieval art.
Church of Santa Maria
The Church of Santa Maria Assunta
Located in the heart of Antrodoco, the Church of Santa Maria Assunta stands as a tangible testament to the history and architectural heritage of the region. Founded in 1315 as a collegiate church dedicated to Our Lady of the People, it has endured numerous historical events and natural disasters over the centuries.
During the eighteenth century, the church was almost entirely destroyed by the Great Earthquake of 1703, which devastated the Abruzzo region. It was subsequently rebuilt in the Baroque style under the direction of the Jesuit Antonio Baldinucci. This reconstruction resulted in an imposing and majestic structure, later enhanced in the nineteenth century by the addition of a Neo-Renaissance façade.
Architecture
The church’s architecture presents a fascinating blend of Romanesque and Baroque elements. The façade features a Romanesque-influenced portal dating from the fourteenth century, while the bell tower, completed in 1708, dominates Piazza del Popolo with its clock.
Interior
Inside, the church welcomes visitors with a single barrel-vaulted nave and three chapels on each side. The high altar houses the celebrated Madonna del Popolo by Francesco Grandi, while the wooden choir stalls, crafted in 1740 by Venanzio of Pescocostanzo, lend an atmosphere of elegance and grandeur to the space.
Points of Interest
Among the church’s distinctive features is the embalmed body of Saint Benedict, venerated by the local population as a French soldier and martyr. The side chapels contain altars dedicated to various saints, notably the altar in the second chapel dedicated to Saint Anne, patron saint of Antrodoco.
Over the years, the Church of Santa Maria Assunta has undergone significant restoration, particularly following the earthquake of 1997, helping to preserve its beauty and historical importance. The church is also renowned for its excellent acoustics and regularly hosts sacred music concerts, offering visitors a uniquely evocative experience.
At the Diocesan Museum, visitors may admire the church’s fifteenth-century processional cross—an outstanding work of art that bears witness to the craftsmanship of the period, with its finely chiselled and gilded details.
Church of Saint Augustine
The Church of Saint Augustine
Today, this former church has been deconsecrated and given new life as a charming theatre hall. While it now embraces the performing arts, it still preserves much of its historic atmosphere.
The Exterior
The exterior reflects the building’s long and layered history. The Baroque portal, adorned with noble coats of arms on the architrave, bears witness to modifications made in the centuries following its original construction. Beyond the portal, however, the façade remains strikingly simple, built in exposed stone. To the right of the entrance stands a small, now non-functioning fountain composed of reused architectural elements, possibly of Roman origin.
A Unique Theatre Space
Today, the Church of Saint Augustine fulfils a very different role, serving as a theatre venue for performances and cultural events. Yet its rich historical past is still clearly visible in the architectural details preserved within.
Interior Details
The antiquity of the site is confirmed by the Romanesque crypt, the remains of which can be seen beneath the nave floor. Over the centuries, the perimeter walls of the church were enhanced with Gothic additions and later Baroque renovations. The portal is decorated with floral motifs and a noble coat of arms, telling a story of refinement and aristocratic patronage.
The Augustinian Cloister
On the left side of the church are the remains of the cloister of the former Augustinian convent, once a place of reflection and prayer for the resident monks.
Frescoes by Carlo Cesi
Inside the church, visitors may admire two frescoes by Carlo Cesi, transferred from the Roman church of the Trinitarian Fathers. These paintings depict a compelling scene: Pope Innocent III sending Saints Maurice and John of Thiene to redeem Christian slaves. The frescoes stand as testimony to the rich artistic and religious tradition that has characterised this church through the centuries.
Church of Santa Chiara
