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Abbey of St Mary in Cerulis

The Abbey of Santa Maria in Cerulis, located northwest of Navelli, has ancient origins, built on the ruins of a 3rd-century BC Italic temple dedicated to Hercules Iovius in the vicus of Incerulæ. During the Lombard period, a new settlement named “Cerule” was established, and a church was built on the temple site, mentioned in 787 in the Chronicon Vulturnense. The current structure was constructed in the 11th century and is first documented in a 1092 papal bull. In 1424, the church was transferred from the Diocese of Valva to L’Aquila by Pope Martin V.

The church features a quadrangular plan with three naves divided into nine bays and two asymmetrical apses. A medieval crypt with tombs lies beneath the floor. Strategically located along the Tratturo Magno and the Via degli Abruzzi, it played an important role in pastoral and trade routes. Restored in the 19th century and consolidated after the 2009 earthquake, the abbey remains a historical and spiritual landmark.

  • Address
    Strada Statale 17, Navelli, Italy
  • Web
    None
  • Visiting Hours
    Unknown
  • What to see
    Wall paintings

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