Church of Santa Maria del Carmine (Ascoli Piceno)

History of the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine

The complex was designed by Celso Saccoccia, from Ascoli, who began the work in 1651. The church and convent were completed in 1663 and consecrated on 8 September of that year.

The facade came later. Designed by the Roman architect Carlo Rainaldi, it was built by Giuseppe Giosafatti between 1687 and 1690. Giosafatti also made the portal and the double staircase, completed in 1704.

What to see in the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine

The facade is made up of two stacked sections, linked by Corinthian pilasters. It is reached by the double staircase with a balustrade.

The interior has a single nave with six altars. The columns, arches and cornice are decorated with stucco. The Flemish painter Francesco De Lignis, active in the late 17th century, signed the paintings in the apse vault, on the triumphal arch and in the ovals above the entablature. In the side chapels are paintings by Nicola Monti, by Francesco Giovani, a pupil of Mola, and by Carlo Francesco Angeli.

Visiting the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine

It is worth checking whether it is open before going, because its current state is not clear. In 2025 the building was described as being in poor condition, with the frescoed lunettes of the old cloister blackened by soot. This is another reason why the facade and staircase, visible from outside, remain the easiest parts to see.

Where the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine is

The church stands in the historic center of Ascoli Piceno, at the end of Corso Mazzini. It is right next to piazza Giacomo Matteotti, the Ponte Maggiore (bridge) and Malatesta Fort in Ascoli Piceno.

Around the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine

The area lends itself to a walk along Corso Mazzini, which follows the line of the Roman decumanus. Old noble palazzi line the street, including Palazzo Centini Piccolomini, as does the Church of San Cristoforo, of the Confraternita della Buona Morte, rebuilt at the end of the 16th century. Near the Carmine are also the Ponte Maggiore and Forte Malatesta. For more ideas, see the page on things to do in Ascoli Piceno.