Santa Maria delle Tre Cone

The church known as Madonna della Vittoria or delle Tre Icone is a historic place of worship in Fiuggi's upper town, associated with the collegiate church of San Pietro and the former hospital of San Carlo.

Why it matters

The church's two names preserve distinct layers of local devotion: one refers to an image tradition, while the other recalls the Colonna family's association with the Battle of Lepanto. Its history links religious life with the charitable institutions of the medieval town.

What to notice

A painting above the high altar depicts the Battle of Lepanto with the Virgin interceding for peace. Its inscription, 'Non vires arma, sed Maria Rosarii fecit nos victores', attributes victory not to arms but to Mary of the Rosary. The work is associated with the twentieth-century friar Fra Terenzio da Fiuggi.

Context and history

The church's precise origins are uncertain. It was historically connected to the collegiate church of San Pietro and the old Hospital of San Carlo. The alternate title Madonna della Vittoria reflects the Colonna family's association with Lepanto in 1571. The later altar painting interprets that event through a devotional appeal for peace.