Hermitage of Sant'Egidio, Romanesque hermitage in Scanno, Abruzzo, Italy

The Hermitage of Sant'Egidio stands on the hill of the same name above Scanno, in the Province of L'Aquila. Its rural Romanesque building has a quadrangular facade with a small bell compartment carved out of an upper corner, and a small circular window above the entrance. Inside, the single nave holds a simple altar with side niches framed by cornices, and the floor is laid in plain bricks.

The exact date of construction is unknown; the hermitage is first mentioned in 1612. In 1780 it was restored by three citizens of Scanno, Pasquale Mancinelli, Michele Parente and Nicola Ricciotti, whose names and the date appear in an inscription inside a coat of arms above the entrance.

The single-nave interior holds a simple altar with side niches framed by cornices, and above the altar a fresco of Saint Giles. Near the entrance, two stoups are carved with masks of fantastic animals. The brick floor is laid in simple fashion.

Access is by following a marked path from the village of Scanno that leads directly to Sant'Egidio hill. The route is walkable on foot and offers views of the surrounding countryside along the way.

The door lintel bears an inscription dated 1675 marking when local residents sought Saint Giles's intervention during a plague outbreak affecting the area. This carving preserves a moment when the community turned to this site for spiritual protection.