Stone façade of the Church of Santa Maria Vecchia in Ficulle, with a Gothic portal and a small circular rose window.

The Church of Santa Maria Vecchia in Ficulle

From Ficulle’s main place of worship to a wartime storage site and now a concert hall: the long story of a small Romanesque church

The beautiful Church of Santa Maria Vecchia stands just outside the walls of Ficulle. Probably built during the 13th century, it is recorded in the Orvieto municipal register as early as 1292. It served as the town’s main place of worship until the late 16th century; after 1616, when the new parish church of Santa Maria “Nuova” was erected within the walls, religious celebrations were moved there and the old church was gradually abandoned. During the Second World War, it was even used as a storage facility by German troops; only after the conflict was it restored and reopened for worship. Today, it is used on specific occasions of the liturgical year, such as the Palm Sunday procession, Easter rites and the Feast of the Assumption on 15 August. Thanks to its excellent acoustics, the church is also a favoured venue for concerts and musical performances.

The Gothic church, between art and history

The exterior is a fine stone structure featuring a beautiful 13th-century Gothic travertine portal, adorned with twisting columns and capitals decorated with floral motifs.

A double stone staircase leads to the entrance of the small church, whose interior is simple and harmonious, with a single nave and pointed arches. In the presbytery area, raised by two steps, three semicircular apses open.

On the right wall, visitors can admire a 14th-century fresco of the Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian, a 17th-century depiction of the Holy Rosary, and the figure of an unknown pontiff, dated 1476.

On the left wall is a 15th-century fresco depicting the Madonna of the Rosary with Saints Dominic and Peter Martyr, under whose mantle the faithful find protection, along with two monastic saints flanking the niche that once housed a wooden statue of the Assumption of the Virgin, dating from the 15th century and unfortunately stolen in 1982, of which a copy now stands in its place.

Also preserved inside the church is an interesting Roman cippus, dedicated by Tiberius Claudius, son of Emperor Tiberius, to the god Mithras (first half of the 1st century AD), although its origin remains unknown. The cippus was once used as a baptismal font or stoup. According to a local legend, not supported by historical evidence, the monument is linked to the memory of Julius Caesar, who, upon returning from Gaul, is said to have received here a Roman delegation sent to learn his intentions regarding his return to Rome.

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Main attractions in the vicinity