The Exterior and the Façade: A Symbol of Rebirth

The exterior of the basilica reflects the building’s early medieval character and contrasts with the interior, which was extensively remodelled during the 18th century.

The gabled façade, built in light-coloured stone, is marked by two lateral pilasters ending in pinnacles. A horizontal cornice, once decorated with polychrome inlays, divides the surface into two levels. The lower section features the monumental portal, whose lunette contains the sculptural group depicting the Madonna and Child with two adoring angels, while two lateral niches house the statues of Saint Benedict and Saint Scholastica. At the centre of the upper section stands the elegant rose window surrounded by the symbols of the Four Evangelists.

To the right of the building is the Merchants’ Loggia, a covered external walkway built in the 17th century, where the ancient medieval measuring units are preserved — stone containers once used for measuring grain.

A Nave with Rediscovered Frescoes

The interior of the basilica follows a Latin cross plan, with a single nave and a polygonal apse. On the left side of the counter-façade, a plaque commemorates the recent restoration, during which several frescoes hidden behind architectural additions introduced during the 18th-century renovations were brought to light.

Along the left wall near the entrance is the first frescoed niche, probably the work of Francesco Sparapane. The lunette features a Madonna and Child crowned by angels, although its upper section is missing, while the lower area depicts Saint George, Saint Barbara, and Saint Claudius. The figure of Saint Claudius re-emerged during the restoration, as did the following niche, which revealed the fresco of a Madonna Enthroned with Child and Four Angels, dated 1478.

In the left transept, the left wall contains the funerary monument of Paolo Emilio Fusconi, a prominent member of one of Norcia’s most important families, while on the right wall an interesting fresco has recently resurfaced, depicting a Madonna Enthroned between a partially preserved figure and Saint Benedict holding the city of Norcia.

The altar in the left transept once displayed the imposing canvas Saint Benedict and Totila, painted by Filippo Napoletano in 1621 and removed for a complex restoration project. By contrast, the altar in the right arm, where the relic of Saint Scholastica donated by the abbot of the Monastery of San Benedetto in Monte was placed on the occasion of the reopening of the church, displays a mid-17th-century canvas depicting a Madonna with the Saints of Norcia — including Saint Eutychius, Saint Scholastica, and Saint Spes — painted by the Roman artist Vincenzo Manetti.

The Ancient Heart of the Basilica: The Crypt and the Roman Building

Located beneath the central portion of the nave, the crypt is divided into three aisles by pillars with simple carved capitals. The central aisle is covered by a lowered arch vault, while the narrower side aisles feature groin vaults.

The left aisle ends in a small apse belonging to a 1st-century AD Roman public building, later transformed into the early oratory of Saint Benedict.

Inside the crypt, particularly in the left apse — traditionally identified as the birthplace of Saints Benedict and Scholastica — fragments of 14th-century frescoes are preserved. The masonry preserves sections of opus reticulatum and, through the access leading to the adjacent archaeological area, visitors can see the remains of two additional rooms belonging to the original Roman structure, quadrangular in shape and ending with an apse, probably associated with the imperial-era forum basilica.