Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta in Cielo

Santa Maria Assunta in Cielo is Monte Compatri's principal church, commonly known as the duomo. Its Baroque form and later enlargement record successive campaigns of patronage and rebuilding in the Tuscolan hilltown.

Why it matters

The seventeenth-century reconstruction was supported by Cardinal Scipione Borghese. Begun in 1630 and blessed in 1633, the church connects Monte Compatri with the architectural culture of the great Roman families.

What to notice

The two-level facade is traditionally attributed to Carlo Rainaldi. A broad nave leads to the transept, apse and dome added during nineteenth-century enlargement. Paintings associated with Vanni and Passignano contribute to the interior's artistic heritage, while later decorative work shows that the building continued to change after its Baroque foundation.

Context and history

The present church replaced a medieval parish building. Cardinal Henry Benedict Stuart, Duke of York and bishop of Tusculum, consecrated it in 1773. Enlargement followed in 1876, with work associated with Luca Casimini. Earthquake damage in 1899 prompted rebuilding and reconsecration in 1901, adding another major phase to the church's history.