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Church of St Blaise in Marano Equo: built on the ruins of the fortress
The church of San Biagio Vescovo e Martire (St Blaise Bishop and Martyr) stands in the upper part of Marano Equo, where the medieval layout of the village has been preserved. It is the parish church of the town, and has a distinctive feature: it was built on the ruins of the fortress. It dates back to at least the early 15th century, and stands at a point overlooking the road along the Aniene river, towards the Monastery of St Scholastica.
A fortress contested for centuries
The castle of Marano appeared for the first time in 864, when Pope Nicholas I assigned it to the Abbey of Subiaco. From then on, it changed hands continuously: from the abbey to Cesario Console, Duke of Rome, then to the Bishop of Tivoli, and back again to the monks. In 1063, Raniero dei Crescenzi seized it and had the fortress built — that on which the church later developed. In 1474, the castle passed to Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia, the future Pope Alexander VI. Today, only the base of a circular corner tower and a section of the escarpment are visible.
Two works to see inside
The church does not contain any particularly notable works. However, it is worth looking at the central altarpiece, dedicated to St Blaise, and a 16th-century marble high relief depicting St Anthony of Padua.
