Chiesa di Santa Maria Arabona

Santa Maria Arabona in Sulmona preserves the name of the Cistercian abbey at Manoppello with which it was associated. Its medieval portal survives within a small church reshaped by later repairs and changes of custody.

Why it matters

The church records the reach of Cistercian communities into the Peligna valley. Monks from Santa Maria Arabona made this their Sulmona seat in 1250, following an earlier settlement in the Marane area.

What to notice

Colonnettes and pilasters with carved foliage frame the thirteenth-century entrance. Its pointed lunette retains traces of fresco. An oculus above recalls the earlier rose window, while later rectangular openings show changes to the facade. The single interior hall has an exposed wooden roof, with devotional paintings including a Visitation.

Context and history

The church is thought to have been known earlier as Santa Maria di Pietrafitta in the Montagnano district. After the Cistercians left, Carmelite friars restored it in 1607 and remained until 1634. Later periods brought cathedral chapter oversight, private ownership and wartime damage. Restoration led to its return to worship in 1954, adding another phase to this medieval dependency's history.