Chiesa di San Michele Arcangelo (Isola Maggiore)

At the summit of Isola Maggiore, the Romanesque church of San Michele Arcangelo preserves fresco cycles dating from the late thirteenth to the sixteenth century. Its single stone nave, crossed by two round arches, has a simple facade and bell gable; one of the two bells is dated 1291.

Why it matters

The church is a major artistic monument on Isola Maggiore. Its austere thirteenth-century Romanesque architecture contrasts with the layers of fresco painting inside. The cycles range in style from Byzantine-rooted formulas to idioms associated with Cimabue, Giotto, Piero della Francesca, Beato Angelico, Benozzo Gozzoli and Perugino. A bell dated 1291 anchors the church's medieval history.

What to notice

The single nave is crossed by two round arches beneath a bare stone interior and simple bell gable. Frescoes cover the walls in successive layers, with figures in garments that reflect fifteenth- and sixteenth-century dress. The church also holds a crucifix attributed to Bartolomeo Caporali. The gable contains two bells, one dated 1291.

Context and history

The parish church stood above the fishing village that developed on two parallel streets. Fresco cycles accumulated from the late thirteenth century through the sixteenth, supported by local families and confraternities. Franciscan tradition holds that Saint Francis spent Lent in retreat on the island in 1211; a convent was later built in memory of the stay on the site transformed by the Guglielmi family. The church remained the village's principal monument as the island's population declined.