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Church of Archangel St Michael, the oldest in Itri
The Church of San Michele Arcangelo is the oldest sacred building in Itri. It stands between Piazza Frà Diavolo and the Medieval Castle, on a cliff that was already a place of worship in Roman times. Vases, marble fragments, and medals found in the underground chambers suggest the existence of a shrine dedicated to Aesculapius.
From the Normans to the bombings
The Normans built the church in the 11th century. It has survived intact to this day — unlike the nearby Santa Maria Maggiore (St Mary Major), which was severely damaged in 1944. In the small entrance square, two black granite columns, known as the "columns of justice," mark the boundary for the ancient “right of asylum”.
The bell tower at the centre of the façade
The most distinctive feature is the bell tower, positioned at the centre of the façade rather than on the side, with the main door at its base. Dating back to the 11th century, it rises over four levels, and features a red-brick belfry with pointed three-light windows, revealing Arab-Norman influences.
The interior
The church is divided into three naves, under a wooden truss roof. Behind the marble high altar, there is a wooden statue of St Michael crushing a dragon underfoot, holding a sword and a set of scales. At the entrance, Romanesque columns from Gaeta, with capitals carved as putti heads, rest on crouching lions and support the choir gallery. In the niche beside them, a 14th-century fresco depicts the Crucifixion and the Madonna and Child, with the twelve Apostles in the medallions.
