Santa Maria Assunta or ''St Mary of the Assumption'' is a
Romanesque-style church in
Assergi
Assergi is a frazione of the comune of L'Aquila, located about from the capital. With a population of just over 500, it is situated at an altitude of approximately 1,000 meters, below the western slope of the Gran Sasso d'Italia, Gran Sasso in a s ...
, central Italy.
Background
The church was erected in the 12th century, originally part of a larger monastery founded by Saint Equizio. The 15th-century white stone facade is simple, with a portal with a rounded tympanum, surmounted by a rose window. The architrave of the portal has two coats of arms of the town with a lamb, symbol of Christ. The elements are similar to those of other churches in
L'Aquila
L'Aquila ( ; ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in central Italy. It is the capital city of the Province of L'Aquila and the Abruzzo region in Italy. , it has a population of 69,902. Laid out within medieval walls on a hill in the wide valley of the A ...
.
The interior was refurbished over the centuries. There are few windows to brighten the interior. There are several Renaissance-style frescos and a crypt, which is from the ancient church of San Franco of Assergi, the patron saint of the town. The crypt is dug from the rock and contains three naves; the medieval reliquary once on this altar putatively held the relics of the saint.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maria Assunta Assergi
12th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy
Romanesque architecture in Abruzzo
Roman Catholic churches in Abruzzo