Temple of Clitumnus

The so-called Temple of Clitumnus is a small early medieval church that sits along the banks of the Clitunno river in the town of Pissignano, Umbria. In 2011, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of a group of seven such sites that mark the presence of Longobards in Italy: Places of Power (568–774 A.D.).

Although the classical architecture and location suggests it may have been the Temple to Jupiter Clitumnus mentioned by Pliny, archaeologists found that the structure was built later, before the 6th century, as a church and had been constructed mainly of material (spolia) taken from ancient Roman structures in the neighbourhood.

The building, located on top of a rise overlooking the Clitunno, has the shape of an 'in antis' temple with four columns (flanked by two square pillars at either side with two leaf columns at the centre) at its front, over which is a tympanum. The temple was reached via two side stairways which ended under two small prothyra. The frieze on the façade carries an inscription dedicated to the God of Angels, whilst the two side ones, now lost, recall the God of Prophets and Apostles; the pediments, both the front one and the back one, are adorned with a monogrammed cross between vines and bunches of grapes. Inside the temple is an apsidiole over which is an arch pediment: there are elegant decorations on the cornices and the rear apse, whilst the remains of a fresco from the 8th century, with the Redeemer between Saints Peter and Paul, angels and crux gemmata (jewelled cross) are also of great interest.

References:

• Wikipedia

Address

Via del Tempio 1, Pissignano, Italy

Details

Founded: 6th century AD
Category: Prehistoric and archaeological sites in Italy