Church of Rosario (Valfornace)

History of the Church of Rosario

A stone inscription records that the place of worship already existed in 1600. Its origins, however, are probably older. The church was opened for worship in the 17th century.

The high altarpiece is the work of Domenico Luigi Valeri (Jesi, 1701 – Camerino, 1770) and dates from around 1765. Pievebovigliana is one of the villages in the Macerata area hit hardest by the 2016 earthquake. With decree no. 974 of November 5, 2025, the Struttura commissariale (the government reconstruction office) approved the recovery of the church. The Arcidiocesi di Camerino – San Severino Marche is the implementing body.

What to see in the Church of Rosario

The interior has a single nave and three large wall altars. The high altar is framed by gilded twisted and Corinthian columns and by carved figures.

Valeri's altarpiece shows the Madonna and Child between Saint Anne, Saint John the Baptist and Saint Charles Borromeo. A 17th-century fresco depicts the Crucifix between Saint Francis and Saint Augustine. The side altars hold canvases of the Adoration of the Shepherds and the Madonna of the Rosary.

Visiting the Church of Rosario

The church was damaged by the 2016 earthquake and needs seismic upgrading and repair work. The start of the works was scheduled for January 2026, following the November 2025 decree. Before going, it is best to ask the Comune di Valfornace (town hall) or the parish for information. The phone number of the Comune is in the box on this page.

Where the Church of Rosario is located

The church stands in the historic center of Pievebovigliana, in the northwestern corner of the village. Pievebovigliana is the seat of Valfornace, a municipality made up of scattered villages, created on January 1, 2017 from the merger of Fiordimonte and Pievebovigliana. Part of the municipal territory lies within the National Park of the Sibillini Mountains.

Around the Church of Rosario

In the upper part of Pievebovigliana stands the parish church of Santa Maria Assunta in Valfornace, Romanesque in layout, with a crypt. Since the 2016 earthquake it has been temporarily closed because of the damage.

The municipality also includes the Romanesque church of San Giusto, known for its circular architecture, and the Beldiletto Castle, a castle converted into a Renaissance villa in the 15th century. The same municipality is home to the Church of Santissimo Crocifisso in Valfornace. Other religious buildings in the area are on the churches of the Sibillini Mountains page.