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San Nicola’s Church

Located outside the village walls, the small Church of San Nicola houses a treasure of Renaissance frescoes, painted between 1522 and 1526 by the school of Giovanni di Pietro, known as “Lo Spagna,” a pupil of Perugino and Pinturicchio.

The exterior features a 16th-century portal and a bell gable, while the interior is entirely decorated with frescoes, whose history is tied to the 15th-century plague.

The paintings reflect the hopes, fears, devotion, and aesthetic sensibility of the Casteldilago community, who commissioned them during the devastating plague that struck the local population around 1520.

The apse holds particular significance due to its vast surface area, with figures of Saint Sebastian and Saint Roch at either end. Saint Roch is depicted as a pilgrim revealing the plague bubo, while both saints were invoked for protection against the plague. Among the saints depicted is Saint Nicholas, to whom children were entrusted for protection from the contagion.

The apse, entirely frescoed, features the Blessing Eternal Father painted within a mandorla surrounded by angels in the conch. In the drum, the Madonna Enthroned is depicted between Saints Sebastian, Nicholas, John the Evangelist, and, following them, Saints Valentine, Anthony of Padua, and Roch. The scene is framed by two pilasters adorned with grotesque decorations.

On the left wall, between painted architectural elements, are depictions of Saints Roch, Sebastian, and Nicholas, invoked for protection against the plague. The figure of the Madonna of the Milk was also widely venerated, as the lack of milk after childbirth often led to infant mortality.

The right wall showcases a sequence of saints set against a backdrop of red drapery. Below the panels, the names of the commissioning families are inscribed.

The 16th-century tabernacle is attributed to the Angelucci family of Mevale, a lineage of artists active in the 16th century.

The Valnerina is rich in historical and artistic heritage scattered across its various villages. A prime example is the numerous works of Giovanni di Pietro, known as “Lo Spagna.” His style is characterized by technical precision and a dignified simplicity of narrative, enhanced by pleasant color harmonies.

The large number of commissions entrusted to Lo Spagna (1450–1528) clearly indicates that the artist operated a well-staffed workshop. Their work is evident in the picturesque churches along the Nera Valley, within the vast Diocese of Spoleto.

Indirizzo: Via dello Sportello 2 – Casteldilago Arrone – 05100 Terni
Telefono: +39 331 282 3802
Check-in ed Accoglienza: +39 335 7529231
E-mail: info@viviilborgo.com