Chiesa di Santa Maria della Libera, Romanesque church in Aquino, Italy.
The chiesa di Santa Maria della Libera is a Romanesque church in Aquino with a front portico held up by three arches and pillars. The main entrance features a Byzantine mosaic showing Mary and the Christ Child.
This church was built around 1125 on top of the remains of a Roman temple that had been dedicated to Hercules. Two noble women from the d'Aquino family commissioned the construction of the new building.
Inside, you can see Roman marble pieces and medieval decorative details mixed together, showing how builders reused ancient materials from earlier times. This blend of old and new is visible in the walls and ornamental features throughout the church.
The church is easy to find near the old Via Latina road as you walk through Aquino. Keep in mind that the building is managed by the local diocese, so it may have limited visiting times depending on religious services.
The portal decorations feature puzzling designs that look like corn, even though corn was unknown in Europe when the church was built. This odd detail has made the church a subject of historical discussion and curiosity about its true meaning.
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