Complesso della Santissima Annunziata

The Complex of the Santissima Annunziata is one of Sulmona's major historic monuments, comprising a church and former charitable institution founded in the fourteenth century. Its medieval origins, Baroque rebuilding and tall bell tower chart successive phases of the city's history.

Why it matters

Founded in 1320 by the confraternity of Penitence, the church and hospital developed into an important charitable institution in the Kingdom of Naples. The complex brings together medieval foundations, Renaissance additions and the extensive rebuilding that followed the 1706 earthquake. The adjoining palazzo also houses Sulmona's civic museum.

What to notice

The church façade combines paired columns, pilasters and a broken pediment. Its bell tower rises more than 65 metres and was built between 1565 and 1590. Inside, three aisles lead toward a domed crossing; Baroque stuccoes and frescoes by Giovan Battista Gamba decorate the vaults. Works include Bernardino Monaldi's 1598 Pentecoste and the Chapel of the Virgin, which dates to 1620.

Context and history

The institution was established on a site with earlier religious buildings. Earthquakes in 1349 and 1456 damaged the complex, and the 1706 earthquake led to major reconstruction from 1710 under architect Pietro Fantoni. The adjoining palazzo was rebuilt after the earthquakes and later adapted for civic uses, including the municipal museum.