La Chiesa di Sant’Eufemia si trova in pieno centro storico a Spoleto, all’interno del cortile del palazzo arcivescovile. Eretta in pieno stile romanico, conserva ancora un’atmosfera di sobrietà e di intenso raccoglimento. L’area absidale dell’edificio, ornata da archetti pensili e lesene, guarda direttamente la scalinata che porta a piazza Duomo e per raggiungere l’ingresso della chiesa è dunque necessario attraversare il cortile del palazzo.

Una particolarità: se la Chiesa di Sant’Eufemia vi sembra familiare potreste averla vista in televisione, poiché l’edificio è stato come location della famosa serie televisiva Don Matteo in diverse stagioni.

>>Vuoi visitare Spoleto? Consulta ora le offerte dei migliori agriturismi nelle vicinanze

Particolari storici e visita della Chiesa

L’interessante edificio risale al XII secolo e nasconde, al di là di una semplice e al tempo stesso austera facciata, decorata da una sola bifora, un interno a tre navate divise da colonne e pilastri polistili illuminate da monofore di stile romanico lombardo. Il prospetto a due spioventi sopraelevati al centro è tipico della prima architettura romanica spoletina con portali a rincassi concentrici e archetti rampanti. Il particolare forse di maggior interesse artistico è però rappresentato dalla zona dei matronei a causa della grande rarità di questa tipologia costruttiva nel territorio umbro.

La Basilica di S. Eufemia sorge all’interno del Palazzo Arcivescovile, la cui area era occupata dalla residenza dei Duchi Longobardi, come ricordano i documenti dei secoli VIII e IX. La prima notizia del monastero di San Eufemia e dell’annessa chiesa risale al secolo X, quando la badessa del Monastero di San Eufemia, chiese al monaco benedettino Giovanni Cassinese di scrivere la vita di San Giovanni Arcivescovo di Spoleto.

L’interno, pur nella esiguità degli spazi, colpisce per la giustezza di ritmi e di proporzioni: le colonne e i pilastri, spesso ottenuti con elementi di spoglio provenienti da edifici classici ed alto medioevali, scandiscono le tre navate; la presenza di matronei, è stata posta in relazione con la tradizione secondo cui Sant’Eufemia occupò l’area dell’antica residenza regia e ducale dove, sul tipo della cappella palatina di Aquisgrana, esistevano i matronei.

E’ possibile visitare la Chiesa nei seguenti orari di apertura:

Orario Giorni feriali 10.00-13.00/15.00-18.00 (orario estivo)
Orario Giorni festivi. 10.00-18.00 (orario estivo) – Giorni di chiusura: lunedì e martedì (orario invernale)

 >> Se hai deciso di visitare Spoleto ti consigliamo di contattare ora gli agriturismi nelle sue vicinanze

It is necessary to attraverse the courtyard of the archbishop’s palace in order to visit the church of St. Eufemia, whose apsis area, which is decorated with small hanging arches and pilaster strips, looks out on the stairway which leads to the Cathedral.

This interesting Romanic building of the 12th century hides under a simple and at the same time austere facade dating back to the 12th century and decorated with only a single mullioned window an interior with three naves divided by columms and pilasters of various styles, and illuminated by windows with one light of the Romanic lombard style.
The roof with two slopes raised up higher at the center is typical of the first Spoletian Romanic architecture, with concentric wrapped-up portals and small rampant arches.
The detail which is perhaps of major artistic interest is the women’s gallery because this architectural tipology is to be found only very rarely in the region of Umbria.

 

It is necessary to attraverse the courtyard of the archbishop’s palace in order to visit the church of St. Eufemia, whose apsis area, which is decorated with small hanging arches and pilaster strips, looks out on the stairway which leads to the Cathedral.

This interesting Romanic building of the 12th century hides under a simple and at the same time austere facade dating back to the 12th century and decorated with only a single mullioned window an interior with three naves divided by columms and pilasters of various styles, and illuminated by windows with one light of the Romanic lombard style.
The roof with two slopes raised up higher at the center is typical of the first Spoletian Romanic architecture, with concentric wrapped-up portals and small rampant arches.
The detail which is perhaps of major artistic interest is the women’s gallery because this architectural tipology is to be found only very rarely in the region of Umbria.

 

It is necessary to attraverse the courtyard of the archbishop’s palace in order to visit the church of St. Eufemia, whose apsis area, which is decorated with small hanging arches and pilaster strips, looks out on the stairway which leads to the Cathedral.

This interesting Romanic building of the 12th century hides under a simple and at the same time austere facade dating back to the 12th century and decorated with only a single mullioned window an interior with three naves divided by columms and pilasters of various styles, and illuminated by windows with one light of the Romanic lombard style.
The roof with two slopes raised up higher at the center is typical of the first Spoletian Romanic architecture, with concentric wrapped-up portals and small rampant arches.
The detail which is perhaps of major artistic interest is the women’s gallery because this architectural tipology is to be found only very rarely in the region of Umbria.

 

It is necessary to attraverse the courtyard of the archbishop’s palace in order to visit the church of St. Eufemia, whose apsis area, which is decorated with small hanging arches and pilaster strips, looks out on the stairway which leads to the Cathedral.

This interesting Romanic building of the 12th century hides under a simple and at the same time austere facade dating back to the 12th century and decorated with only a single mullioned window an interior with three naves divided by columms and pilasters of various styles, and illuminated by windows with one light of the Romanic lombard style.
The roof with two slopes raised up higher at the center is typical of the first Spoletian Romanic architecture, with concentric wrapped-up portals and small rampant arches.
The detail which is perhaps of major artistic interest is the women’s gallery becau
se this architectural tipology is to be found only very rarely in the region of Umbria.