This content was automatically translated. View the original text.
The Co-Cathedral of St Mary of the Assumption in Sutri: a church spanning two thousand years
The Co-Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta is the religious heart of Sutri. The Christian presence here goes right back in time: in 1046, the Council of Sutri led to the election of Pope Clement II, and the future Saint Pius V was one of its bishops. The current building dates back to the 12th century, and was consecrated by Innocent III in 1207, though it incorporates much older layers. The Pope presented the town with the Byzantine Christ panel, which is now on display at the Palazzo Doebbing Museum.
Romanesque vestiges
Baroque renovations in the 17th century significantly altered the cathedral's appearance. From the medieval era, the Cosmati floor in polychrome marbles remains, along with the tuff bell tower, which was originally separate from the church. The tower is divided into four levels of windows—ranging from single-light to four-light openings—following the traditional Roman style. Two Imperial-era columns are embedded within the pillars of the presbytery, the only ones to have survived.
