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Church of Santa Maria Nova in Toffia: from feudal palace to church
The Church of Santa Maria Nova stands at the highest point of the village of Toffia, in the province of Rieti. It was not originally a church, it was the Palatium, the residence of the feudal lord of the castrum Tophiae. The main nave was once the inner courtyard of the palace. The bell tower used to be the watchtower, known as the "Maschio". It was raised higher in the late 16th century using Michelangelo-style bricks.
From fortress to sacred place
The building was turned into a church in the early 16th century. The laying of the first stone is attributed to Cardinal Galeotto Franciotti della Rovere, nephew of Pope Julius II. It was inaugurated on 2 July 1507, the feast day of the Visitation. This explains the many chapels and altars dedicated to the Virgin Mary found inside.
Two chapels, one painter
In the left nave is the chapel of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The name comes from a painting in the oval of the vault, almost entirely destroyed by the earthquake of 1703. The chapel underwent several restorations, until the Falcone family entrusted its decorations and frescoes to Vincenzo Manenti, a Sabine painter. On the right, the chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary contains small paintings also attributed to Manenti or his workshop. Of particular interest are the baptismal font and a late Romanesque crucifix — a Christus Pathiens painted on canvas and mounted on a wooden support — which came from the Church of Madonna di Loreto (Our Lady of Loreto).
Where to find it
The church is located at Via Montecavallo 33, 02039 Toffia (RI).
