Descrizione
The Church of St Augustine in Cantiano is a sacred place dedicated to St Augustine. Situated near the ancient castle walls, it was originally consecrated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria and formed part of the estate of the Monastery of Fonte Avellana. Built in the early 13th century, it still retains its Romanesque exterior, with a perfectly preserved original façade. The façade is characterised by a wall facing that displays a striking colour contrast thanks to the use of polychrome ashlars arranged in alternating bands. The magnificent Romanesque portal, with capitals adorned with stylised phytomorphic bas-reliefs, opens onto this façade.
The right-hand side, facing Via Mazzini, is characterised by pilasters and a number of single-lancet windows with trefoil pediments. In 1272, the church was assigned to the Augustinian Order, who were responsible for the education of Cantiano’s youth for centuries. They built an adjoining convent, which now houses the Museum. The heart of the convent complex is the porticoed cloister dating from the late 13th century.
Inside the single-nave church, there are precious paintings and frescoes. Among these, a 15th-century fresco depicting the Madonna and Child flanked by Saint Monica and Saint Nicholas of Tolentino, attributed to the school of Gentile da Fabriano, stands out. The collection also includes a wooden crucifix from the 1400s and the 16th-century ‘Madonna della Cintura’, attributed to Antonio Viviani, known as ‘il Sordo’ and a pupil of Barocci. Another masterpiece is the Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary by Giovanni Dionigi da Cagli, dated 1535, alongside a 16th-century Umbrian Pietà and Christ with the Apostles and Pious Women from the school of Virgilio Nucci da Gubbio (1547–1621).
Traces of a 13th-century fresco depicting Saint Augustine and the Virgin of Succour are still visible in the original apse. The Church of Saint Augustine is therefore a place steeped in history and art, bearing witness to the depth of Cantiano’s cultural and spiritual roots.
