Antiquarium Medievale 'Antonio Cadei'

The Antiquarium Medievale Antonio Cadei in Guardiagrele gathers sculpture from the town's churches and religious buildings. Stone lions, portal fragments, altars and funerary works reveal a medieval artistic heritage alongside the town's better-known metalworking traditions.

Why it matters

The collection preserves architectural sculpture removed during demolition or restoration. These fragments help reconstruct the development of Guardiagrele's sacred buildings and the patronage that furnished their chapels.

What to notice

Two large stone lions probably once supported columns, although their original setting is uncertain. A capital recovered in 2013 came from the former grounds of San Pietro Confessore. Carved portals, a Paschal candlestick and a baptismal font accompany later Gothic altars. A Lamentation group shows the dead Christ with kneeling angels. Later material includes a d'Ugni family sarcophagus lid and a stone civic crest with a rampant lion.

Context and history

The works span medieval, Renaissance and Baroque phases, with material associated with Santa Maria Maggiore, San Francesco and San Nicola di Bari. The antiquarium is named for Antonio Cadei, a scholar of medieval art whose research included Nicola da Guardiagrele. Its dedication links the preservation of local sculpture with the study of southern Italy's artistic history.