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Church of St Mary of Montedoro: Sangallo's octagonal temple in Montefiascone
A few kilometres from Montefiascone, on the Verentana road leading down toward Lake Bolsena, stands the Church of Santa Maria di Montedoro: an octagonal temple designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger between 1536 and 1537. The original drawing, preserved in the Uffizi Gallery, envisioned a large convent with a square cloister; the church was intended for the side looking down on the lake.
An unfinished project
In the area once known as Monte Moro, a shrine (edicola) had been built with an image of the Madonna attributed to Viterbo painter Antonio del Massaro, known as il Pastura, dating back to the late 15th century. Following the plague of 1523, the community made a vow to build a church, however the Sack of Rome in 1527 halted the works. In 1537, the Roman builder Bartolomeo Ambrosino took over, followed by architect Pietro Tartarino in 1547. Sangallo's original design was scaled back: only the octagonal structure was completed, with a simple roof placed over it instead of the planned dome.
The Interior
Six semi-columns with Doric capitals define the corners of the space. The high altar houses the fresco by il Pastura, which was covered for centuries before being rediscovered in the 20th century. Side chapels feature Carmelite frescoes and a 16th-century Crucifixion.
