What to see in Cantiano
In the Surrounding Hamlets:
Chiaserna
The Abbey of St. Michael the Archangel (Sant’Angelo)
In Chiaserna we find the ruins of the famous Abbey of St. Angelo where the Crypt and the left wind of the building, called the Capitolo (Chapter house) can still be seen. According to Bianchi, the Romanesque style church had three naves, with a semi-circular apse at the centre. The naves were joined by arches constructed from white calcareous stone ashlars, interspaced by travertine, supported by robust pilasters. The presbytery was raised with the crypt below, in correspondence to the apse; the vaulted ceiling rested on an exquisite pink granite column. Instead, the mensa (Communion Altar) was supported by a black granite column with small columns at the corners. At the centre of the Monastery, there was a portico formed by four lowered Roman arches: a stairway led to the landing above the cloister and from here, to the rooms occupied by the monks. An elegant structure stood out at the head, the ground floor of which was used for the Chapter House assemblies, while the upper floors were used as a refuge for the monks in case of peril. The latter is the only part of the Abbey remaining today.
The Church of Santa Anastasia
The oldest document dates back to 1228. The parish church was managed for many years in emphyteusis by the Compagnia di San Michele Arcangelo (Society of St Michael the Archangel) constituted in 1602. Through the centuries it has undergone several transformations. The most recent in 1911, when by edict of Bishop Nasalli Rocca, it was raised to parish. The Parish Priest Giuseppe Poccioni enlarged the church, adding the cross, the bell tower and the dome. Three altarpieces embellish the interior: at the centre the Virgin with Child and Saints Francio, Anastasia and Lucy; to the right, Our Lady of Sorrows, and to the left, St. Michael Archangel. Also of interest, a painting depicting Our Lady of Mercy, the processional banner and the dome decorated with beautiful frescoes.
Pontericcioli
The Count’s Palace, dating to the 11th century, in sandstone with white stone windows in an oriental style is known in all of Umbria. In the same area there once existed the Church of St. Peter, but today there remain but a few ruins. Perhaps, it was originally the place of worship of the ancient Luceoli. Here we find the Church of St. Joseph with paintings depicting St. Peter (1600 circa), St. Paul (1600 circa), a Byzantine style Virgin and a Processional banner. It was built in only three months, between August 18 and November 24, 1848.
San Crescentino
This tiny, very old parish church conserves two frescoes of exceptional historical-artistic value:
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Sant' Ubaldo, Madonna del Bell'Amore e un committente (1469) (St. Ubaldo, the Madonna of Bell’Amore and mandant)
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Sant' Antonio da Padova (St. Anthony of Padua)
There is also a St. Crescentino by Virgilio Nucci (1547 - 1621). According to legend, during a visit to the St. Crescentino Parish Church and after having celebrated Mass (perhaps for the consecration of the Church), St. Ubaldo performed a miracle by healing a mute: “A young man by the name of Benedetto (Benedict) from the Parish of San Crescentino, mute from birth, came to St. Ubaldo and began to speak perfectly” (JORDANUS, dicturi vitam beati Ubaldi Eugubinis pontificis … Library of the University of Bologna 15th century, Document from 1162).
The parish house, the tower and the church form a single complex in terms of style and beauty. The completed works have given us a chance to reread history through the archaeological artefacts found under the pavement and now conserved behind the altar: Byzantine friezes, a Carolingian Cross, human remains, perhaps of the martyrs St. Orfito and St. Benedict, friends of St. Crescentino. Also of interest, the high observation tower used to control the nearby Flaminian Way and perhaps the Byzantine corridor, as well. The road that once passed by here led to Gubbio.
Palcano
"For many years the religious life in Palcano gravitated around the
Church of St. Martino, built around the year 1000 and perhaps even earlier. It
served a population scattered throughout the countryside, therefore, when this
hamlet took on its current form, the church was in an inconvenient position
being far from the residential areas. It was in Poggio della Croce, which is
about a kilometre from the closest houses… At the beginning of the 17th
century, the idea of building a new temple in a more favourable position and
large enough for the population of the hamlet, took on shape in the Society of
St. Mary in Tears. A position which was agreed upon by all was chosen, that of
Cabernardino".
(G. GUGLIELMI, "Villa Palcano", Cantiano, 1987, p.32).
The earthquake which hit this area in 1781 was particularly violent in the area
of Palcano where there were 20 victims and about seventy injured, due to the
crumbling of the roof of the church.
It was renovated in the 1970s, however the works were not sufficient to limit the damage caused by the earthquake of 1997. It has been since restored to its original splendour and reopened for services.
Since 2005, at the crossroads, there is a beautiful icon depicting a chalice with rays and a resurrected Christ opening his hands to the sky after the sacrifice of the cross. It is the work of Luigi Rabbini, an artist from Cantiano. Other of the master’s works can be admired in the St. John’s Chapel in the Church of the Collegiate and in various other locations in Cantiano.
(From Cantiano tra Fede e Storia di F. Panfili – M. Tanfulli, Cantiano 2000)
