Ex Chiesa del Purgatorio (Auditorium Guido Calogero)

The former Church of the Purgatory in Scanno has been repurposed as the Guido Calogero auditorium, retaining its place in the town's historic centre.

Why it matters

The building illustrates how a historic church can take on a civic cultural role while remaining part of the townscape. Its earlier dedication to the Holy Souls reflects a devotional tradition that shaped many confraternal churches in southern Italy.

What to notice

The simple facade and compact interior preserve the scale of a small church. The building is also known by the titles Anime Sante and Santa Maria Liberatrice, names that record its religious history alongside its present civic identity.

Context and history

The church was probably established toward the end of the seventeenth century and rebuilt in 1716 with contributions from the Scanno community. By the 1970s it had ceased to serve as a church and was documented as a civic hall named for philosopher Guido Calogero.