Museum of Sacred Art (Montemonaco)

History of the Museum of Sacred Art in Montemonaco

The museum was set up in 2007 in the former church of San Biagio. The building had long been unused. Restoration turned it into an exhibition space and made it possible to recover two 16th-century stone altars. Today the museum also houses works from churches in the area made unsafe by the 2016 earthquake.

What to see in the Museum of Sacred Art

The core of the collection is its wooden sculptures. Among them are a 13th-century Crucifix from the Church of San Giorgio all'Isola and a Madonna in the Abruzzo-Marche style from the early 16th century. From the church of Tofe come some 17th-century works, including the Guardian Angel of the Neapolitan school and the Madonna di Loreto by Sebastiano Sebastiani.

Standout paintings include the Madonna del soccorso (1521) by Giulio Vergari, a painter from Amandola, and a late 16th-century Madonna del Rosario. There is also the altarpiece with San Biagio and Sant'Antonio Abate, attributed to Pier Leone Ghezzi (1674-1755). The route is completed by a rare embossed and painted leather altar frontal from the church of Vallegrascia (early 17th century) and a processional cross from 1788 from the church of Isola San Biagio. Also on display are two sandstone slabs with a carved "discourse", from the old Romanesque church of San Lorenzo.

Visiting the Museum of Sacred Art

The museum is a small space, with a single room. There is just one step at the entrance. Services include guided tours, educational activities and a screening room. Current opening is not confirmed: before visiting, ask the Comune whether the museum is open and on which days.

Where the Museum of Sacred Art is located

The museum is in Montemonaco, in the highest part of the village. It stands right next to the Church of San Benedetto in Montemonaco, reached by climbing the streets of the historic center.

Around the Museum of Sacred Art in Montemonaco

Next to the museum stands the Renaissance church of San Benedetto abate, whose portal bears the date 1546. The village also has the museum devoted to the Grotta della Sibilla, now closed for restoration. For other collections in the area, see the page about museums in the Sibillini Mountains.