In Ferentino St. Maria Maggiore is a church which merits a visit. The church was built in 13th century in Cistercian gotich architecture; it is one of the most important  medieval building in Ferentino. This holy building rises on pre-existing early Christian churches, whose foundations came to light during the restoration of the upper church over the years of the 70s of the last century.

A Roman inscription of the fourth century AD, preserved in the church, remembers that in that place stood the domus of Valerius Gaius, destroyed by persecution of Diocletian, and rebuilt at his expense by wife’s Gaius, Dolcissima.

The church is dedicated to the Madonna Assunta; it has three naves. The central nave has the largest gate to the west and the apse to the east. On the transept rises the octagonal lantern of the bell tower, unfinished. The main door finely decorated with a precious protrum with column-bearing lions; the upper part is decorated with five tiles with the symbols of the Evangelists and with the cruciferous lamb in the centre.

According to tradition the decorative heads of the archivolt of the left door are identified in Frederick of Swabia and his mother Costance of Hauteville.

Inside the church you can see two interesting decorations: the holy water with Lamon, gift of the Municipality (13th century), and the fresco of the Madonna delle Grazie (14th century Roman school).

 

Photo by Marco De Castris