Santa Sofia Church, 8th-century Lombard church in Benevento, Italy.
Santa Sofia Church features a central hexagonal plan with six supporting columns surrounded by a decagonal ambulatory. The interior layout creates multiple small chapels and recesses that serve different religious functions throughout the worship space.
The church was founded in 758 by Duke Arechis II and served as a principal sanctuary for the principality. Over time it became a repository for the relics of San Mercurio and numerous martyrs.
The church serves as a place where people continue to gather for prayer and worship, maintaining its role as a spiritual center for centuries. Visitors sense the steady religious practice embedded in the space through its simple, focused atmosphere.
Visit during normal opening hours, which vary by day, to see the interior freely. It is best to avoid times when religious services are taking place to respect the worship of those present.
Several interior columns come from an ancient Isis temple and were incorporated into the church structure. This reuse of classical elements demonstrates how the Lombards integrated existing materials into their architecture.
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