Basilica di Santa Maria del Colle

Basilica of Santa Maria del Colle stands on a rocky rise above Pescocostanzo. Rebuilt after the 1456 earthquake and completed by 1466, it is notable for its five-naved interior, historic furnishings and the wrought-iron screen of the Cappella del Santissimo Sacramento.

Why it matters

The church brings together the work of Pescocostanzo's woodworkers, metalworkers and stone carvers. Its five naves, carried on round stone arches, form an unusually broad interior for Abruzzo. The town's patronal celebration also centres on the church: on 8 August the statue of San Felice martire is welcomed here.

What to notice

A staircase dating to 1580 leads to the lateral entrance, framed by a 15th-century portal. Inside, carved wooden coffered ceilings and gilded stucco enliven the naves. The cantoria by Bartolomeo Balcone is dated 1619; his work also includes the wooden pulpit. Among the furnishings are the polychrome wooden Madonna del Colle, a 13th-century sculpture, and the wrought-iron screen of the Sacramento chapel, designed by Norberto Cicco and forged by Santo di Rocco and his nephew Ilario between 1699 and 1717. The church also contains a basilica museum displaying sacred furnishings and statuary.

Context and history

A place of worship existed here by the 11th century. After the 1456 earthquake the church was rebuilt by 1466, with further work in the 16th and 17th centuries. Its broad plan follows the steep site between the hillside and the town. The church appears in records as the Collegiata; it is now presented under the title Basilica di Santa Maria del Colle.