Santa Maria Impensole, Romanesque church in Narni, Italy.
Santa Maria Impensole is a Romanesque church in Narni with three naves separated by rounded stone arches topped with carved capitals. The entrance features medieval stone decorations, while inside medieval frescoes discovered during 20th-century restoration work adorn the walls alongside later additions.
This church stands on the foundations of an 8th-century structure that researchers identified as a Roman temple originally dedicated to Bacchus. The transformation reflects how medieval builders adapted earlier religious sites for new faith traditions.
The church's name echoes its origins in Roman water systems that still support the structure below. Walking through this space lets you sense how different periods of history are layered together in one building.
The church sits at the start of Via Mazzini, one of Narni's main streets, making it easy to find and reach on foot. Wear comfortable shoes since the surrounding old town has cobblestone streets and sloping paths.
The building rests on two large Roman water cisterns whose name is reflected in 'Impensole', derived from the Latin term 'in pisilis'. These hidden underground structures form an unseen foundation that shows how ancient Roman engineering supported medieval construction.
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