The San Nicola di Bari Church in Ariccia is the current seat of the Teatro Bernini. Until 1666 it was located in the Piazza di Corte, but it was moved to create space for the Santa Maria Assunta Church.
San Nicola di Bari Church Ariccia
Useful information
Address: Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi, 81D – Ariccia. Phone: (+39) 333 1329480. Opening times and ticket price depend on the event.
History and description
When Bernini was commissioned to build the Santa Maria Assunta Church, the San Nicola di Bari Church needed to be moved out of the way. It was completely taken apart, to be reassembled in its present location.
This is quite ironic, since, in order to build the first San Nicola di Bari Church, an early-Christian church dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta had had to be torn down.
The present church is smaller than the original one. The two bell towers flanking the church survived, however, although only one of them has bells.
The ruins around the current Teatro Bernini probably used to be part of a Temple dedicated to Juno.