Piazza G. Bruno e via del Castellano
The most imposing church of the city and one of the largest in Umbria
Originally of gothic style, it was built in two phases between 1304 and 1458, taking up a consistent portion of the district and of the ancient parish of Santo Stefano del Castellare.
It was reconstructed by Carlo Maderno in 1632 after a succession of collapses. Inside remains only part of its former, extremely rich, patrimony, dispersed after the Napoleonic requisitions and the post unity acquisitions by the state. It mainly consists of works dating to the XVII and XVIII Centuries, but there are also frescos of the XIV-XV Centuries in the transept and the chapel dedicated to Santa Caterina.
Precious is the funereal monument to Pope Benedict XI (XIV Century), the large apsidal window, 23 m high (1411), by Bartolomeo di Pietro of Perugia and Mariotto di Nardo of Florence, the altar piece by Agostino di Duccio (1459), a XVI Century wooden chorus and a XVII Century organ.
Of particular interest the bell tower, originally with a gothic spire, and the garrets visible on request, where are easily recognizable traces of the original gothic church. Some of the artistic works it held are now at the Galleria Nazionale of Umbria, such as the Guidalotti Polyptych by Beato Angelico.
The former convent is now site of the Archaeological Museum and of the State Archive, with two cloisters; the major one shows evidences of the preceding Dominican Church “San Domenico Vecchio” .
Next to the sacristy, a new museum dedicated to Pope Benedetto XI was opened in 2019, thanks to the Dominican fathers, to enhance the complex liturgical vestment, historically associated with the Dominican pontiff.
Opening Hours: 7:00 am - 12:00 pm 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
wheelchair accessible (from Via del Castellano)
Free entrance. The garretts may be visited upon reservation and with guided tours
The former convent houses of the Archaeological Museum are of free access together with two inner cloisters.
Info: tel +39 333 8768902 – +39 075 5724136