CHURCH OF SANTA MARIA IN CASTELLO, Presentation

At the top of the crag on which the original core of Corneto developed sits the church that until the 15th century was the town’s cathedral: Santa Maria in Castello. The lofty flat-topped tower you can see opposite the church is what remains of a noble residence built by one of the aristocratic families that held power here when the communes were first established, around the 12th century. As in other towns and cities, at that time towers were an expression of the dominant role played by the families they represented, but they also had a defensive purpose.

On your visit to Tarquinia, you’ll find that a number of towers have survived here to this day.

The church is embellished with a number of details deserving of your close attention, such as the central portal, the two-light window on the facade, the mosaic floor, the baptismal font, the pulpit and the baldachin over the columns. All these elements date to the 13th century, and are the work of the Cosmati family of Roman marble craftsmen....