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Collegiate Church of St Mary Major in Itri: the (closed) church that preserves centuries of frescoes
The Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Maggiore (St Mary Major) stands in the heart of the medieval village of Itri, in the province of Latina, on the Latium side of the Aurunci Mountains. It is one of the oldest churches in the town — and one of the most unfortunate. Closed to the public since the Second World War due to severe bombing damage, it still has well-preserved wall frescoes depicting sacred images.
The Moorish bell tower
The bell tower dates back to the 13th century, and has an unusual trapezoidal shape, and blends colours with the local stone. The mullioned windows — divided by a small central column — feature sturdy twisted columns reminiscent of the style of Ravello and Amalfi. The local Superintendency restored the tower after the war, and today it is the only part of the complex that retains its original appearance.
Hidden frescoes and a painting in exile
Inside there are two 14th-century frescoes: in an oval niche there is a Virgin and Child surrounded by angel heads, while the other fresco depicts a blessing bishop-saint — perhaps St Nicholas of Bari — flanked by seven scenes from his life. The painting of St Anthony the Abbot enthroned, attributed to Giovanni da Gaeta and dated to the second half of the 15th century, was detached from the wall and moved to the Seminary Palace in Gaeta for conservation purposes.
