San Pietro extra moenia, Spoleto, Romanesque church building at southern entrance, Spoleto, Italy
San Pietro extra moenia is a Romanesque church located just outside the old city walls, at the southern entrance of Spoleto. The interior is divided into three aisles separated by columns with round arches, leading to side chapels each with its own altar.
A sanctuary was first built on this site in the 5th century to house the chains of Saint Peter brought from Rome. The current building replaced it between the 12th and 13th centuries, taking on the Romanesque form that is still visible today.
The facade is covered in carved stone panels showing scenes from the life of Saint Peter alongside medieval fables meant to teach moral lessons. These carvings were created at a time when images in stone served as a way to communicate stories to people who could not read.
The church is a short walk from the center of Spoleto, on a downhill path heading south out of the old town. Inside, the floor changes level in several places, so watch your step when moving between sections.
The floor of the church contains tombstones from the 7th century, left from a period when the site was used as a burial ground for the bishops of Spoleto. These stone markers are among the very few surviving traces of early Christian burial practices in this part of Umbria.
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