Cappella della Madonna del Carcere

The Chapel of the Madonna del Carcere is a small grotto chapel that preserves the memory of Civita's vanished Contrada Carcere. The quarter sank into the valley after the 1695 earthquake; the cave survived and became a place of devotion.

Why it matters

The chapel represents what remained of the Contrada Carcere after the quarter was lost in the earthquake, which also damaged Civita's cathedral and contributed to the town's movement toward Bagnoregio. It preserves a small fragment of the settlement's history.

What to notice

The chapel is a small grotto chamber, its scale recalling the cave's earlier use. The dark stone and low proportions make the surviving space distinct from the churches and palaces around Civita's main square.

Context and history

The cave first served as an Etruscan chamber tomb, then as a dwelling and stable for shepherds. The 1695 earthquake reduced the surrounding Contrada Carcere to this surviving fragment. Devotion to the Madonna later gave the grotto its present identity.