Santa Maria delle Fortezze - Resti

Untreated, garbage is often found, too bad ...

Remains of an ancient church Great place X to park near Porta romana.

mortal sin according to me to lose the so beautiful frescoes, then I need not say is lost in the countryside there in front of everyone's eyes

Three stars just for the restoration that some time ago allowed us to review what remains of the church, but there is still a long way to go to arrive at a complete conservation and protection ... if we could at least prevent it from being thrown junk is already a step forward.

Visible are the remains of frescoes depicting the Coronation of the Virgin, the Annunciation and the Nativity, God seated on a throne, Angels, Cherubs and the Sybille Cumana and Eritea: this is what remains of the Church of Santa Maria delle Fortezze, built in 1514 , and that, almost ground to the ground after the Allied aerial bombardments of the Second World War, it was no longer rebuilt. At one time, at least until the 1940s, when this church was still standing and consecrated, the "Santissima Annunziata" Fair was held annually in its churchyard and with this title of the Virgin Mary the Viterbese used to call this place of worship . Everything today is in uncontrolled abandonment, despite the signs of a recent restoration and the attempt to transform and redevelop the building and the area in front of it in an "open-air theater". More than the bombing in war, men could have been at peace ... Something can still be done, but it must be done soon: to save the frescoes so that this precious historical and cultural memory is not lost forever.

They are the splendid remains of the elegant Renaissance church of Santa Maria delle Fortezze, located in front of the Porta San Leonardo of the medieval walls, unfortunately destroyed along with a good part of the artistic heritage of Viterbo during the often unjustified Allied bombing of 1943-44 which cost the life to more than a thousand civilians.

What remains of a beautiful sixteenth-century church after the bombings of 1944, practically a third or perhaps less. Greek cross plan (this can still be seen), the frescoes in the chapels, partly ruined and the apses, also with some missing parts, are remarkable. Restoration works have been carried out and the roof was redone in 2002, however overall it is not in good condition, especially the frescoes.

Near Porta San Leonardo (reopened in 1993, as a pedestrian passage, after more than 300 years that it had been closed) there are the remains of the Church of Santa Maria delle Fortezze (which refers to the fortifications of Viterbo), also known by the name of San Francesco di Paola. The first stone dates back to 1514, on the site where there was a chapel where the image of the Madonna was venerated. It underwent numerous transformations and restorations, until 1944, the year in which the church was bombed by the Allies: few remains remained (the wall behind the altar) and a few other parts, which were then restructured and restored. The real pity is that these remains are not marked through special panels; there is not even a sign indicating the name of the church, so much so that the historical importance of the site is not perceived in the eyes of the tourist; the frescoes are not protected, as indeed the whole area, which becomes very degraded especially in the evening. It is a pity. ENGLISH: Near Porta San Leonardo (reopened in 1993, as a pedestrian passage, after more than 300 years that it had remained closed) there are the remains of the Church of Santa Maria delle Fortezze (which refers to the fortifications of Viterbo), also known by the name of San Francesco di Paola. The first stone dates back to 1514, on the site where there was a chapel where the image of the Madonna was venerated. It underwent numerous transformations and restorations, until 1944, the year in which the church was bombed by the Allies: few remains remained (the wall behind the altar) and a few other parts, which were then restructured and restored. The real pity is that these remains are not marked through special panels; there is not even a sign indicating the name of the church, so much so that the historical importance of the site is not perceived in the eyes of the tourist; the frescoes are not protected, as indeed the whole area, which becomes very degraded especially in the evening. It is a pity.