The San Michele Arcangelo Temple is among the oldest churches in Perugia and is also one of the oldest in all of Italy itself. The most distinctive part of the church is its circular floor plan, somewhat reminiscent of the Santo Stefano Rotondo church in Rome.
San Michele Arcangelo Temple Perugia
Useful Information
Address: Via del Tempio, Perugia. Phone: +39 347 1863196. Opening times: 09:00 till 18:00.
History and description
The church was built around the 5th century, on a piece of land that was already considered sacred at the time, in what is now the Porta Sant’Angelo district.
Originally it had four chapels, facing the center of the church.
There are 12 windows, which provide the light in this church. On the wall you can see several fragments that refer to the numerous renovations that the church has undergone over the centuries. Some traces of medieval wall paintings can also be seen.
The sixteen columns that mark the inner two rooms are characterized by capitals of different kinds and materials.
The portal dates from the 14th century.
The column in front of the church used to grace what is now Piazza Matteotti.
Works of art in the San Michele Arcangelo Temple
As one walks into the ambulatory on the left, one sees a copy of the fresco “Madonna del Verde”, originally created by a 14th century master from the Sienese school, the original of which can be seen in the Museo Capitolare.
Next to it is a tablet from the time of Marcus Aurelius.
In the baptistery there are 15th century wall paintings. The maker is unknown.
In the Cappella del Crocefisso hangs a canvas from the 18th century called “The Trinity and the Purifying Souls.”
The altar consists of an antique marble slab on an unadorned column.