The Church of Santa Eufemia, one of the most interesting Romanesque buildings in Umbria, is located within the grounds of the Archbishop’s Palace of Spoleto, on the central Via Saffi.
The earliest news of the building dates back to the 10th century, when it joined a Benedictine nuns’ monastery. Gunderada, founder of the monastery, in 980 moved there the body of the Spoletan bishop Giovanni, martyred under the Goths.
The church was rebuilt in the first half of the 12th century, following the forms of Spoletan Romanesque, which shares the Lombard architectural experience. During the 17th century, harmful adaptations disfigured the building, which was divided into two floors; the lower part was intended for worship while the upper was incorporated into the Episcopal Palace. This situation remained until 1907, when the complete restoration of the structure was decided, concluded in 1954.
The sober façade, with elevated central body, is decorated with a three-recess portal crowned by an elegant bifora window and monoforas. The rare interior order of three naves, divided by reused material pillars and columns, with three apses and matronea, recalls the structure of the Veronese church of San Lorenzo, documented since 1110. Inside, the narthex occupies the space of the first bay and allows communication between the two matronea. The presence of the matroneum has been related to the tradition that places here the pre-existing chapel of the ducal palace, built following the model of the Palatine Chapel of Aachen. The high altar, from the Cathedral, is decorated with a beautiful 13th-century frontal with bas-reliefs (Agnus Dei and Symbols of the Evangelists) and cosmatesque ornaments. Much of the fresco decoration of the apse has been lost, preserved only in the apse vault, the Eternal among cherubim (16th century).
Information about the Basilica of Santa Eufemia
Via Aurelio Saffi, 13
06049 Spoleto (Perugia)
0743 231022
museodiocesano@spoletonorcia.it
https://www.arcidiocesidispoletonorcia.it
Source: MIBACT
