Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, Roman Catholic cathedral in Ferentino, Italy
The Church of Santa Maria Maggiore is a cathedral in Ferentino with three naves, clustered pillars, and cross-vaults blending Romanesque and Gothic styles. Inside you find mosaics from the Cosmati workshop, a 13th-century ciborium, and serpentine columns showing artistic variety.
Pope Paschal I founded the cathedral in the early 9th century on the foundations of a Roman temple, marking the shift from paganism to Christianity. The building site on Ferentino's ancient acropolis shows how this location remained important across different periods.
The cathedral houses a silver equestrian statue of Saint Ambrose from the 16th century, made by goldsmith Fantino Taglietti, showing Ferentino's patron saint. This representation shapes the town's religious life today and shows how locals honor the saint.
The cathedral sits on Ferentino's ancient acropolis and is easy to reach on foot from the old town. Keep in mind that narrow stairs and uneven floors make getting to different parts of the building require some care.
The left portal shows sculptures of Frederick II of Swabia and Constance of Sicily, hinting at historical ties between Cistercian monks and imperial power. This rare depiction of noble figures in a church portal sheds light on how the region was connected to the Holy Roman Empire.
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