TREVI, Italy - Church of S.Pietro a Pettine1

This country church, while typical of those in the area, is architecturally more evolved than any other, in particular in its (reworked) open belfry, of the type known as a "campanile a vela". The church stands on the hill of S. Martino, near the very ancient path that dropped down from Trevi into the valley toward Foligno. The architectural elements date the building to the 13th century; it was probably built on the ruins of a previous building. Naturally, it is listed in the oldest lists.^.¹ In the 19th century it was stripped of its furnishings and sold to private individuals (first to the Ciaffoni family, then to others). It eventually fell into being used as a barn. It was bought, along with the neighboring house, by the Caporicci family, who in the mid-1980's restored it to perfect usability.

Similar to the many other little Romanesque churches of the same period found in the town of Trevi and its territory, it is among the more architecturally advanced, "with a semicircular apse and the façade surmounted by a little open belfry of the type known as a "campanile a vela" reworked, as often; but the masonry seems older, especially on the right-hand side of the façade, and the door, unlike that of the others, has an architrave."^.2

Trevi, Italy. Chiesa di S. Pietro a Pettine.

Like the other buildings of the same period, the church is oriented with its apse pointing east. The interior has a single nave; the ceiling supported by two large ogival arches. Light is provided by two very narrow windows, one above the entrance, the other high in the apse. Two other small windows are found in the side walls of the choir. On the south side, a door, also provided with an architrave, once led to a sacristy, no longer extant.

In its construction materials from previous buildings were reused, among which some Roman funerary inscriptions.

Inside, some interesting frescos are to be seen.

Interior

Ths photo, in itself now "historic" was taken inÂ 1979 by the ever-remembered, greatly regretted Sandro Ceccaroni, illustrates the first modern-day guide tp Trevi^.2. The observers whose backs we see are Carlo Zenobi and Franco Spellani.

Trevi, Italy. Chiesa di S. Pietro a Pettine.(1979)