Santa Maria della Verità, Romanesque church in Viterbo, Italy
Santa Maria della Verità is a church in Viterbo featuring Romanesque architectural style with a Latin cross layout and tall nave. Its facade displays a rounded arch portal and a large circular window, while the interior is divided by various chapels and decorated with artistic elements.
Local tradition, not confirmed by documents, places the founding of a Premonstratensian house here in the second half of the 12th century, originally dedicated to Saint Macarius; the canons moved to Rome in 1231. Servite friars later settled and gave the church its title of Madonna della Verità. Around 1350 the Bussi family funded an apse for the friars' choir, and in 1446 an apparition of the Virgin to three children turned the church into a sanctuary.
The Mazzatosta chapel displays a preserved 15th-century majolica tile floor and frescoes depicting the Life of the Virgin by Lorenzo da Viterbo. These artistic works shape the interior and reflect the regional artistic tradition.
The church stands next to the Civic Museum, which occupies a former convent building and houses many artifacts from the original structure. The location allows you to explore both the sacred building and the museum collection in a single visit.
Three children reported seeing the Virgin Mary inside the church in 1446, transforming it into a pilgrimage destination for many visitors. This event shaped the site's legacy and attracted people from across the region.
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