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The Church of Madonna della Pietà: Campagnano di Roma's oldest secret
In Campagnano di Roma, perched on a small rocky spur overlooking the northern entrance to the village, stands the oldest surviving building in the area. The locals call it "il castello" — the castle. Yet it is a Church, called Madonna della Pietà, once an oratory along the Via Francigena. Its history, going back nearly a thousand years ago, is that of transformation: from a fortified monastic outpost to the beating heart of the town's popular devotion.
An oratory on the rock
The original structure dates back to the second half of the 11th century, as seen by the walls, simple and robust in a Romanesque style, resting directly on the bare rock. Going down a few steps, there is a small crypt — the oldest part of the building — supported by a single central pillar. Its original dedication was to Saints Tiburtius and Valerian, Roman martyrs and the brother and brother-in-law of St Cecilia. It was a simple place.
The change of devotion
Things shifted in the 16th century. During this period, the Confraternita del Gonfalone established itself here - a lay confraternity devoted to caring for the sick and pilgrims passing through. The Pietà fresco was painted in 1518, and it can still be seen today in the apse. This painting, and the popular devotion that followed, was the reason for the church having its current name.
The church, located in Via della Pietà, in the historic centre of the town, is generally closed. For more information, please contact the Comune di Campagnano di Roma.
