Nel IV secolo Giovanni e Lazzaro, due eremiti siriaci in cerca di un luogo recondito, varcato il monte Solenne e scesi nella valle Suppenga avrebbero fondato l’eremo che sarebbe poi divenuto l’Abbazia di San Pietro in Valle, sulle fondamenta di un preesistente insediamento pagano. Fu Faroaldo II, duca di Spoleto e signore delle terre dove sorgeva l’eremo, a costruire la chiesa dedicata a San Pietro e il monastero, che adottò la regola di San Benedetto. Qui Faroaldo stesso vestì l’abito monastico e morì nel 728. Segui un periodo di pace e relativa popolarità, che si protrasse per oltre un secolo.

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Nell’anno 840, i monaci furono espropriati dal vescovo di Spoleto. L’abbazia, semidistrutta in seguito sotto i primi Ottoni, fu riedificata tra la fine del sec. X e il XI da Ottone III e Enrico II. Dal giugno del 1190 l’Abbazia di San Pietro in Valle fu di proprietà del comune di Spoleto. Alla fine del XII sec., con ogni probabilità all’epoca di Gregorio II (1198-1226), fu unita alla basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano ed a questo periodo dovrebbero risalire gli ulteriori restauri agli edifici ed il ciclo di affreschi della navata.

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Nel 1477 Sisto IV, per la decadenza della vita monastica, levò i monaci da questo monastero e cedette l’Abbazia in commanda alla famiglia Ancajani, i quali furono a varie riprese gli abati accomandatari dell’Abbazia fino al 1850, quando con l’avvento dell’unificazione d’Italia ne divennero i proprietari. L’ultimo erede degli Ancajani cedette la chiesa al parroco e vendette il convento, che si avvia a diventare residenza d’epoca. La chiesa dell’abbazia fu compiuta in due epoche diverse: longobarda (sec.VIII) e romanica (sec. XII), ma i due stili sono così armoniosamente inseriti da non accorgersi della loro successione. All’interno della chiesa si trovano vari frammenti longobardi e sarcofagi roman, ma soprattutto un ciclo pittorico importantissimo per la lunga serie di soggetti del Vecchio e Nuovo Testamento che si svolgono sulle pareti della chiesa come in una finta galleria. Il Chiostro e gli ambienti monastici appartengono ad un’epoca più tarda rispetto alla chiesa, probabilmente verso il XII-XIII sec. Il lato settentrionale del chiostro, congiunto alla navata della chiesa, è scandito da 3 alti e grandi archi sorretti da pilastri quadrangolari. Gli altri 3 lati presentano una diversa situazione: l’ordine inferiore è costituito da portici con poderose volte a crociera sostenute da robuste e basse colonne di pietra locale.

Il Campanile è di pianta quadrata leggermente asimmetrica e presenta un parato murario costituito da blocchi irregolari di pietra locale. Le sue pareti sono variamente ornate di inserti di epoche precedenti; si notano, tra l’altro, suggestivi frammenti di epoca romana e longobarda.

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In the 5th century, Giovanni and Lazzaro, two Syrian hermits who, in search of a secluded place had scaled the Solenne mountain and descended into the Suppenga valley , were said to have founded the Eremitage, already a pagan nucleus, which later on became the Abbey of  San Pietro in Valle. Duke Faroaldo II of Spoleto and lord of the lands where the eremitage was situated, constructed the church dedicated to St. Peter with its monastery, which adopted the rule of St. Benedict. Here, Faroaldo himself donned the monk’s habit and died in 728. Afterwards, a period of peace and relative popolarity followed, which continued for more than a century.

In the year 840, the monks were deprived of their lands by ths bishop of Spoleto. The abbey, which, afterwards, had been partly destroyed under the first Ottos, was re-erected from the end of the 10thcentury until the 11th centuriy under Otto III and Henry II. From June of 1190 onwards, the abbey of St. Peter in the Valley became the property of the town of Spoleto.

At the end of the 12th century, very probably at the time of Gregory II (1198-1226), it was added to the basilica of St. Giovanni in Laterano; other works of restauration to the buildings and the frescoes in the nave presumably date back to this period. Because of the decay of the monical life, in 1477, Sixtus IV, removed the monks from this monastery and ceded the abbey to the Ancajani family, of who, in various instances, members were accomodating abbots of the abbey, until 1850, when, with the unification of Italy, it became its owner.

The last heir of the Ancajani family ceded the church to the parochy and sold the convento, which will become a historical residence (guest-house). The abbey church was completed in two different periods: during the Longobard (8th century) and the Romanic periods (12th century), but the two styles are inserted in such harmony that one does not notice the progression. Inside the church various Longobard fragments and Roman sarcofagi are to be found; above all, however, also a cycle of pictures, which is very important because of its extensive series of themes from the New and Old Testament, which are to be found and the walls of the church, and make those seem like a picture gallery. The Cloister and the monk’s quarters date back to a later period compared to the church, probably near the 12th and 13th centuries.
The northern part of the cloister, which adjoins the nave of the church, is scanned by three high and large arches supportanted by quadrangular pillars. The other three sides show a different situatione: the lower part is made up of porticos with cross-beam vaults supported by mighty and low columms constructed of local stone. The Bell Tower: of a square design, slightly asymmetrical, it represents a a decorated wall made up of a irregular blocks of local stone. Its wall are decorated here and there with “inserts” of preceding epochs; among others, one notes charming fragments of the Roman and Longobard times.

In the 5th century, Giovanni and Lazzaro, two Syrian hermits who, in search of a secluded place had scaled the Solenne mountain and descended into the Suppenga valley , were said to have founded the Eremitage, already a pagan nucleus, which later on became the Abbey of  San Pietro in Valle. Duke Faroaldo II of Spoleto and lord of the lands where the eremitage was situated, constructed the church dedicated to St. Peter with its monastery, which adopted the rule of St. Benedict. Here, Faroaldo himself donned the monk’s habit and died in 728. Afterwards, a period of peace and relative popolarity followed, which continued for more than a century.

In the year 840, the monks were deprived of their lands by ths bishop of Spoleto. The abbey, which, afterwards, had been partly
destroyed under the first Ottos, was re-erected from the end of the 10thcentury until the 11th centuriy under Otto III and Henry II. From June of 1190 onwards, the abbey of St. Peter in the Valley became the property of the town of Spoleto.

At the end of the 12th century, very probably at the time of Gregory II (1198-1226), it was added to the basilica of St. Giovanni in Laterano; other works of restauration to the buildings and the frescoes in the nave presumably date back to this period. Because of the decay of the monical life, in 1477, Sixtus IV, removed the monks from this monastery and ceded the abbey to the Ancajani family, of who, in various instances, members were accomodating abbots of the abbey, until 1850, when, with the unification of Italy, it became its owner.

The last heir of the Ancajani family ceded the church to the parochy and sold the convento, which will become a historical residence (guest-house). The abbey church was completed in two different periods: during the Longobard (8th century) and the Romanic periods (12th century), but the two styles are inserted in such harmony that one does not notice the progression. Inside the church various Longobard fragments and Roman sarcofagi are to be found; above all, however, also a cycle of pictures, which is very important because of its extensive series of themes from the New and Old Testament, which are to be found and the walls of the church, and make those seem like a picture gallery. The Cloister and the monk’s quarters date back to a later period compared to the church, probably near the 12th and 13th centuries.
The northern part of the cloister, which adjoins the nave of the church, is scanned by three high and large arches supportanted by quadrangular pillars. The other three sides show a different situatione: the lower part is made up of porticos with cross-beam vaults supported by mighty and low columms constructed of local stone. The Bell Tower: of a square design, slightly asymmetrical, it represents a a decorated wall made up of a irregular blocks of local stone. Its wall are decorated here and there with “inserts” of preceding epochs; among others, one notes charming fragments of the Roman and Longobard times.

In the 5th century, Giovanni and Lazzaro, two Syrian hermits who, in search of a secluded place had scaled the Solenne mountain and descended into the Suppenga valley , were said to have founded the Eremitage, already a pagan nucleus, which later on became the Abbey of  San Pietro in Valle. Duke Faroaldo II of Spoleto and lord of the lands where the eremitage was situated, constructed the church dedicated to St. Peter with its monastery, which adopted the rule of St. Benedict. Here, Faroaldo himself donned the monk’s habit and died in 728. Afterwards, a period of peace and relative popolarity followed, which continued for more than a century.

In the year 840, the monks were deprived of their lands by ths bishop of Spoleto. The abbey, which, afterwards, had been partly destroyed under the first Ottos, was re-erected from the end of the 10thcentury until the 11th centuriy under Otto III and Henry II. From June of 1190 onwards, the abbey of St. Peter in the Valley became the property of the town of Spoleto.

At the end of the 12th century, very probably at the time of Gregory II (1198-1226), it was added to the basilica of St. Giovanni in Laterano; other works of restauration to the buildings and the frescoes in the nave presumably date back to this period. Because of the decay of the monical life, in 1477, Sixtus IV, removed the monks from this monastery and ceded the abbey to the Ancajani family, of who, in various instances, members were accomodating abbots of the abbey, until 1850, when, with the unification of Italy, it became its owner.

The last heir of the Ancajani family ceded the church to the parochy and sold the convento, which will become a historical residence (guest-house). The abbey church was completed in two different periods: during the Longobard (8th century) and the Romanic periods (12th century), but the two styles are inserted in such harmony that one does not notice the progression. Inside the church various Longobard fragments and Roman sarcofagi are to be found; above all, however, also a cycle of pictures, which is very important because of its extensive series of themes from the New and Old Testament, which are to be found and the walls of the church, and make those seem like a picture gallery. The Cloister and the monk’s quarters date back to a later period compared to the church, probably near the 12th and 13th centuries.
The northern part of the cloister, which adjoins the nave of the church, is scanned by three high and large arches supportanted by quadrangular pillars. The other three sides show a different situatione: the lower part is made up of porticos with cross-beam vaults supported by mighty and low columms constructed of local stone. The Bell Tower: of a square design, slightly asymmetrical, it represents a a decorated wall made up of a irregular blocks of local stone. Its wall are decorated here and there with “inserts” of preceding epochs; among others, one notes charming fragments of the Roman and Longobard times.

In the 5th century, Giovanni and Lazzaro, two Syrian hermits who, in search of a secluded place had scaled the Solenne mountain and descended into the Suppenga valley , were said to have founded the Eremitage, already a pagan nucleus, which later on became the Abbey of  San Pietro in Valle. Duke Faroaldo II of Spoleto and lord of the lands where the eremitage was situated, constructed the church dedicated to St. Peter with its monastery, which adopted the rule of St. Benedict. Here, Faroaldo himself donned the monk’s habit and died in 728. Afterwards, a period of peace and relative popolarity followed, which continued for more than a century.

In the year 840, the monks were deprived of their lands by ths bishop of Spoleto. The abbey, which, afterwards, had been partly destroyed under the first Ottos, was re-erected from the end of the 10thcentury until the 11th centuriy under Otto III and Henry II. From June of 1190 onwards, the abbey of St. Peter in the Valley became the property of the town of Spoleto.

At the end of the 12th century, very probably at the time of Gregory II (1198-1226), it was added to the basilica of St. Giovanni in Laterano; other works of restauration to the buildings and the frescoes in the nave presumably date back to this period. Because of the decay of the monical life, in 1477, Sixtus IV, removed the monks from this monastery and ceded the abbey to the Ancajani family, of who, in various instances, members were accomodating abbots of the abbey, until 1850, when, with the unification of Italy, it became its owner.

The last heir of the Ancajani family ceded the church to the parochy and sold the convento, which will become a historical residence (guest-house). The abbey church was completed in two different periods: during the Longobard (8th century) and the Romanic periods (12th century), but the two styles are inserted in such harmony that one does not notice the progression. Inside the church various Longobard fragments and Roman sarcofagi are to be found; above all, however, also a cycle of pictures, which is very important because of its extensive series of themes from the New and Old Testament, which are to be found and the walls of the church, and make those seem like a picture gallery. The Cloister and the monk’s quarters date back to a later period compared to the church, probably near the 12th and 13th centuries.
The northern part of the cloister, which adjoins the nave of the church, is scanned by three high and large arches supportanted by quadrangular pillars. The other three sides show a different situatione: the lower part is made up of porticos with cross-beam vaults supported by mighty and low columms constructed of local stone. T
he Bell Tower: of a square design, slightly asymmetrical, it represents a a decorated wall made up of a irregular blocks of local stone. Its wall are decorated here and there with “inserts” of preceding epochs; among others, one notes charming fragments of the Roman and Longobard times.