Chiesa Collegiata (Santa Maria Assunta)

San Ginesio's Collegiata of Santa Maria Assunta combines a Romanesque lower facade with a Gothic upper section commissioned in 1421. Its crypt, the Oratorio di San Biagio, preserves frescoes dated 1406 and attributed in part to the Salimbeni brothers.

Why it matters

A church stood on this site by 1098 and became the town's principal place of worship. The upper facade was commissioned in 1421 from Enrico de' Fapicho de' Bavaria, known as Alamanno. Its pierced terracotta tracery is a distinctive example of late Gothic design in the Marche.

What to notice

The facade is arranged in layers: Romanesque masonry below, then Gothic niches, pinnacles and terracotta tracery, with a crowning arch added in the late nineteenth century. Inside, paintings include works associated with Simone De Magistris, Stefano Folchetti, Pomarancio and the school of Perugino. The crypt's Oratorio di San Biagio contains scenes from the life of Saint Blaise, including a cycle dated 1406.

Context and history

The collegiate church developed from an earlier place of worship and became central to San Ginesio's civic and religious life. The 1421 facade campaign added a Gothic upper structure to the Romanesque base. Later work added the crowning arch, and the building suffered damage in the 2016 earthquake. The church's exterior and interior preserve distinct phases of the town's architectural and artistic history.