St. Proculus Church, Naturno, Italy

The small St Proculus church near Naturno is undoubtedly a historical treasure. It dates back to the 7th century AD and features the probably most ancient frescos of the German speaking area and the most complete early fresco cycle of Tyrol. Furthermore there are some Gothic frescoes from the 14th century.

The building itself has been established between 630 and 650 AD. The age of the oldest pre-Carolingian frescoes, however, is rather contested, new datings refer to the period of time between the 7th and 10th century. The most famous fresco shows a man on a swing, probably St Proculus himself.

Only a stone’s throw from the chapel, there is also the Proculus Museum, which has been inaugurated in 2006. The museum is allocated subterraneously and takes visitors into 1,500 years of history of the area around Naturno. Four time-space showrooms take you across late antiquity, Middle Ages and early modern times. Moreover in the museum you can admire the Gothic frescoes which have been taken down from the walls of the St Proculus church.

References:

suedtirolerland.it

Religious sites in Italy

User Reviews

florian pöschl (2 years ago)
Went there as a family (children 5 & 8 years old) and everyone loved the museum and the chapel itself. Toilets were clean, everything was barrier-free. Conclusion: Small and delicate probably sums it up best.

Antonio Pistore (2 years ago)
Splendid ancient church with precious Carolingian frescoes. The building preserves the charm of times gone by intact. Unfortunately it is difficult to find it open...

Gianluca Sacchi (5 years ago)
Unmissable stop in the Romanesque tour in Val Venosta. Splendid frescoes, unique for their iconography. San Procolo which seems to swing is not to be missed.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Following Hadrian

Historic Site of the week

Walls of Constantinople

The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.

Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.

St. Proculus Church

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Historic Site of the week

Walls of Constantinople