Chiesa di Santa Lucia, Gothic church in Magliano de' Marsi, Italy
Chiesa di Santa Lucia is a Gothic church in Magliano de' Marsi with a rectangular facade featuring three pointed-arch portals and a central rose window. The facade is embellished with finely carved stone decorations that give the building its distinctive formal character.
The structure originates from the 13th century, built atop the foundations of a Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter Stator. Following the 1915 Avezzano earthquake, the building underwent major reconstruction to restore it to its current state.
The church displays intricate carved stone reliefs showing biblical stories on its facade, including Samson wrestling a lion and a sphinx grasping a man. These carved images allowed people to learn religious narratives directly from the building itself.
The church is generally accessible to visitors and maintains regular service times for worshippers. It is worth checking locally before your visit to find the best time to explore, especially if you want to examine the stone carvings on the facade in good light.
An enigmatic Latin inscription reading 'Rotas Opera Tenet Arepo Sator' appears on the building's exterior, the same text found at San Pietro ad Oratorium in Capestrano. These mysterious words form a palindromic square that many visitors pass by without noticing.
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