What to see in Sant'Angelo in Formis, a village in the province of Caserta, famous above all for the Benedictine abbey of the same name, dedicated to San Michele Arcangelo, with a beautiful facade and very interesting interior, which preserves the remains of the previous temple, as well as cycles of frescoes of great artistic value.
Tourist information
Located at the foot of Monte Tifata in the municipality of Capua, from which it is less than four kilometers away, Sant’Angelo in Formis is a small agricultural center made famous by the Byzantine-style abbey of the same name, which rises in the oldest part of the village.
The abbey of Sant’Angelo in Formis, dedicated to San Michele Arcangelo, is considered one of the most important Italian monuments dating back to medieval times.
It was built in the 10th century by Count Landolfo with his son Pandolfo, in honor of Archangel Michael, on top of the remains of a temple dedicated to Diana Tifatina.
Of the previous religious building, the Corinthian columns were reused to support the portico located on the facade, in addition to the floor dating back to 74 BC.
What see
The facade, formed by a portico comprising five pointed arches, is enriched with frescoes from the 1100s, alongside is the bell tower with mullioned windows.
The interior of the abbey of Sant’Angelo in Formis, which has a basilica plan divided into three naves separated by columns, contains a cycle of 11th century frescoes, inspired by Byzantine subjects.
The frescoes in the central nave depict scenes from the new testament, on the wall opposite the facade there is the fresco of the Last Judgment, while the apse includes two decorative bands, which represent the blessing Christ on the throne, in the upper part, and the archangels with the Abbot Desiderio and San Benedetto, in the lower part.
