Church of San Pietro (Pieve Torina)

History of the Church of San Pietro in Pieve Torina

The Church of San Pietro in Appennino was built in the 15th century on earlier 14th-century structures. It is linked to the history of the castle, of medieval origin, which passed from the Magalotti family to the lordship of the Da Varano of Camerino in the 14th century. In the 1970s the presbytery received new furnishings; between 1997 and 2001 the building was restored, and between 2000 and 2001 the roof was redone. The church has suffered earthquake damage.

What to see in the Church of San Pietro

In the Renaissance the interior was decorated with frescoes, of which few examples remain, including a Christ between saints and angels. The church at the top of the village of Appennino has two naves and holds a painting of the Pietà from 1543.

Visiting the Church of San Pietro

As a subsidiary church, it is not the seat of the parish and has no regular opening schedule: it is best to ask in advance at the parish of Santi Pietro e Oreste or the Comune di Pieve Torina (the town hall).

Where the Church of San Pietro is located

The church is in the hamlet of Appennino, in the municipality of Pieve Torina. Today the village lies off the main roads, because the tunnel and the new road run lower down; the old road once skirted it, along the route between Umbria and the Marche. Near Appennino is the small hamlet of Vari, at 690 m above sea level, between Appennino and Gabbiano.

Around the Church of San Pietro

The village of Appennino preserves the structure of the castle, with its ring of walls, the 14th-century gate and the stone-paved lanes climbing toward the top. Giovanni da Varano had the castle restored in 1382. Within the village there are several water fountains, once essential for supplying the castle.

Other religious buildings of the area are on the page churches in the Sibillini Mountains.