Experience Bells offers a selection of the most significant religious buildings encountered in large numbers in the Rieti area. Famous among them is certainly the Franciscan sanctuary of the Nativity in Greccio, and also notable are, to name a few, the medieval church of Santa Maria extra Moenia in Antrodoco, the rock church of San Martino in Poggio Moiano, or the church of Santa Maria in Villa in Marcetelli, which preserves a marvelous cycle of 16th-century frescoes.
Per quanto riguarda l’accessibilità e la fruibilità dei luoghi, si consiglia di consultare i siti istituzionali.
Amatrice
The Basilica of San Francesco together with the annexed convent represents the most important historical building in Amatrice. The church was built between the end of the 14th and the beginning of the 15th century, initially dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The exterior was characterized by a monumental facade with a rose window and a Gothic portal in white marble. Unfortunately, the complex suffered severe damage from the 2016 earthquake, collapsing almost completely. The Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Filetta is also important in the Amatrice area.
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Antrodoco
The church of Santa Maria extra Moenia (outside the walls) stands outside the village of Antrodoco. Its construction dates back to the early Middle Ages, as evidenced by the finds of Carolingian sculptures, and was built on the remains of a pagan temple dedicated to the goddess Diana. The facade was modified in the 19th century to a simple hut, as it is today. The interior is full of frescoes from different eras, and sculptural works. In the Antrodoco area, the churches of Santa Maria Assunta, Santa Chiara and the Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Grotte are also worthy of a visit.
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Ascrea
The parish of Ascrea is dedicated to San Nicola da Bari. The church was founded in the fifteenth century and has some modifications carried out in the sixteenth century by the will of the Mareri family. Inside it contains some interesting paintings..
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Belmonte in Sabina
The church of San Salvatore in Belmonte in Sabina is located in the central square of the town, it is difficult to date, but it probably dates back to the 14th century. The church today presents some reconstructions carried out following the earthquake of 1915. Inside it has a wooden coffered ceiling.
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Borbona
The church of Santa Maria Assunta in Borbona preserves an art object of extraordinary value: the Processional Cross of Borbona. The masterpiece dates from about 1320-1330; it is embossed in gilded silver foil decorated with translucent enamels. It is 115 high and 70 centimeters wide. Until 1974 it was on display at the Cathedral Treasure Museum in Rieti, but today it has finally returned to Borbona, where citizens carry it in procession every first Sunday in September to celebrate the feast of the Nativity of Mary.
Cittaducale
In Cittaducale the complex consisting of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Popolo and the Bishop’s Palace is remarkable. The church was built in the late 15th century and renovated after an earthquake in 1703; it has a characteristic façade in Abruzzi-style Gothic-Romanesque style, with a central rose window and three portals. Inside it preserves paintings and frescoes. To the rear of the church is the bell tower and to the side is the Bishop’s Palace. The palace was built in 1623 and features a large hall with remarkable frescoes depicting the coats of arms of the bishops who have succeeded it over the years. Also important are the Church of St. Cecilia and the Church of St. Augustine, among others.
Collalto Sabino
The Church of San Gregorio Magno in Collalto Sabino of which we have the first news in the fourteenth century, is characteristic because it was built by transforming the granary of the medieval castle. The bell tower was built at the beginning of the 19th century, while the current arrangement in the square took place at the beginning of the 19th century. San Gregorio Magno is the patron saint of Collalto Sabino.
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Collegiove
The church of Santa Maria a Collegiove is a small building located on a hill, it was the ancient parish church of the town, before the church of Santa Maria Immacolata was built.
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Contigliano
The construction of the church of San Michele Arcangelo in Contigliano began in 1683 and ended in 1747, a period of particular splendor for the center of Contigliano. It was awarded the title of Collegiate. It looks like a majestic Baroque building, which preserves remarkable eighteenth-century paintings inside. Also important are the Abbey of San Pastore and the church of Sant’Antonio da Padova.
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Fiamignano
The church dedicated to Our Lady of the Poggio in Fiamignano is located in a dominant position over the valley, offering a spectacular view of Lake Salto. Of medieval origin, it has simple, rural furnishings inside. On the feast of the Madonna del Poggio, which is celebrated on July 2, a long procession reaches the small church from the village. An ancient tradition has it that on Easter Monday the townspeople took an outing that led them to gather right in the churchyard, where together they enjoyed a snack or otherwise a moment of leisure.
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Greccio
The sanctuary of the Crib of Greccio is the most famous of the four Franciscan sanctuaries found in the Holy Valley (the others are that of Fonte Colombo, della Foresta and Poggio Bustone). It is among the most important places of Franciscanism. It was founded by St. Francis of Assisi himself in 1223 and is nicknamed “the Franciscan Bethlehem”, because in this place he created the first nativity scene. The sanctuary is built into the rock and is located at an altitude of 665 meters, two kilometers from the medieval village of Greccio. The buildings, enlarged following the canonization of San Francesco (1228-1229) are on several levels, around a belvedere, from which there is a panoramic view of the Holy Valley. The heart of the sanctuary is the chapel of the Nativity, built around the grotto where the saint’s first representation of the nativity scene would have taken place. The chapel is decorated with marvelous fifteenth-century frescoes by the Giotto school.
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Labro
The church of Saint Maria Major in Labro is located in the upper part of the village. The church was built by adapting the structures of the Nobili Vitelleschi castle. In fact, Pope Sixtus IV, following the assassination perpetrated by Giovanni de’ Nobili of a priest, excommunicated him and forced the demolition of the building to cancel the excommunication. The chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary was then built on the foundations of the building. The church was restored in 2015, inside it is decorated with frescoes depicting a starry sky. Also very interesting, just outside the village, is the former convent of the Observant Franciscans, now carefully restored.
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Leonessa
In Leonessa, in Piazza VII Aprile, there is the Church and convent of San Pietro. The complex was built in the XIII century. The facade of the stone church dates back to the 15th century and has a precious Renaissance portal in local red stone, on top of which is the statue of San Giovanni. The bell tower is a Gothic tower with pointed arch windows. Inside, a staircase leads to the Gothic crypt.
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Longone Sabino
The church of St. Anne in Longone Sabino was originally named after St. Mary of Grace, and had a niche reserved for the lodging of a hermit. When the hermit passed away, the church changed its name to the church of St. Anne, patroness of pregnant women. In fact, next to the building is a spring, which recalls the theme. It is said that pregnant women from Longone would walk to the church of St. Anne to whom they offered wild flowers.
Marcetelli
The church of Santa Maria in Villa stands on the hill called Monte Santo, not far from the village of Marcetelli. The church was founded before 1182 by Benedetto, bishop of Rieti. It was restored by the Superintendency of Architectural Heritage of Lazio after a long period of abandonment, due to the 1997 earthquake. Inside the church there is a wonderful pictorial cycle of frescoes dating back to the sixteenth century, by an unknown hand. The Virgin of Mercy was recognized with bunches of grapes and ears of wheat, symbol of the Eucharistic sacrifice, surrounded by saints and martyr saints, the patrons of the pictorial cycle are also represented: the Mareri.
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Micigliano
The Abbey of Saints Quirico and Giulitta in Micigliano, located between the Via Salaria and the Velino river, was probably built in the first half of the 10th century by the Benedictines. There is little information available on the complex. However, it is known that during the Middle Ages the Abbey played an important role in the area, had numerous possessions and did not depend on the Abbey of Farfa and Montecassino, but directly on the Holy See. The complex is now an accommodation facility.
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Nespolo
The church of San Sebastiano in Nespolo was built in 1357 and restored in 1521. The façade is simple, inside it preserves an ancient baptismal font and a 16th century Flemish school painting depicting San Sebastiano. From 1915, following the Avezzano earthquake, works were carried out including the replacement of the ceiling.
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Poggio Moiano
The rural church of San Martino is located about 1 km from the center of Poggio Moiano. The Church seems to date back to the 10th century, it is built in local stone, with particular inserts formed by reused stones probably taken from a funerary monument of a certain value. The facade is gabled with a bell tower on the left. Above the door is a stone rose window. Inside there are two sixteenth-century frescoes depicting San Martino and Sant’Antonio Abate.
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Poggio San Lorenzo
The rural church dedicated to the Madonna dei penitenti is located just outside the center of Poggio San Lorenzo, surrounded by greenery. The church stood on an ancient temple dedicated to the goddess Vacuna. He underwent several surgeries. As can be seen today, the complex has kept the back wall from the Roman era, decorated with a sixteenth-century fresco depicting the Madonna and Child. The church is a pilgrimage destination for citizens who venerate the fresco, in fact it is said that this miraculously survived the collapse of the ancient building. The church was totally rebuilt at the behest of the citizens in the 1950s after the war, as a votive offering.
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Turania
The small church of Santa Maria del Carmelo in Turania, as some sources say, was originally owned by the Franciscans who lived in the adjoining convent, which no longer exists today. The construction of the complex can probably be traced back to the second half of the fourteenth century, by disciples of Francis. The permanence of the Franciscans is confirmed until 1542; subsequently the convent passed to the Carmelite order until 1652 when only two members remained. At the end of the eighteenth century the convent was irreparably ruined, so it was while consolidation works were carried out for the Church.
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Registered office: Via Manzoni 10, 02100 Rieti
c.o. V^comunità montana
Tax code: 01235650577
