Chiesa dell'Annunziata (Terracina)

Nestled in the historic town of Terracina in the province of Latina, Italy, the Chiesa dell'Annunziata stands as a testament to the rich cultural and architectural heritage of the region. This ancient Catholic church, dating back to the mid-13th century, offers visitors a glimpse into the medieval past of this coastal area in southern Lazio.

The History of Chiesa dell'Annunziata

The Chiesa dell'Annunziata was constructed in the first half of the 13th century, serving as the parish church of the old Borgo Murato, located outside Porta Albina. In 1473, although it remained under the jurisdiction of the municipality of Terracina, Pope Sixtus IV assigned the church to the priest Nicola Trumbatore. The church's history is rich with notable events and transitions. On June 19, 1537, the church was entrusted to the Celestines, leading to the construction of a monastery connected to the church by a door on its left side, which has since disappeared.

In 1680, Bishop Ercole Domenico Monanni established the Congregation of the SS. Annunciationis. By the early 18th century, the church had fallen into disrepair. In 1705, the building underwent restoration, as evidenced by some architectural decorations still visible today. During this period, the church was passed to the Carmelites, although records of the monument's history become scarce after this point. In 1710, the abbot Accoramboni, an apostolic protonotary, ordered the refurbishment of the main altar's step. Further restoration efforts were made on the church's chapels dedicated to St. Charles Borromeo, St. Blaise, and the Virgin of Carmel.

On May 30, 1729, Pope Benedict XIII, returning from Benevento, stopped at the Chiesa dell'Annunziata to hear Mass. He stayed at the Dominican convent before continuing his journey to Cisterna. On April 23, 1734, the Carmelite friars, due to the large number of burials in the church, obtained permission to be buried in the tomb of St. Cesario in front of the baptismal font. The Confraternity of the Carmine attempted to restore the church in 1867, moving into its premises, but the severe condition of the building led to its abandonment again by the late 19th century.

In 1927, Antonio Monti, the Royal Inspector of Excavations and Monuments of Terracina, reported that the Chiesa dell'Annunziata needed urgent roof and north side repairs to prevent water infiltration. The most recent significant intervention occurred in the spring of 1989 when the roof was restored. The exact date when the church was officially abandoned as a place of worship and its subsequent deconsecration remains unknown.

Exploring Chiesa dell'Annunziata

Situated on Via Annunziata at the intersection with Via Foro Severiano, the Chiesa dell'Annunziata stands amid the quaint streets of Terracina. The small cobblestone square in front of the church provides the only access from the street. Observing the church from the front, one can see the remnants of the ancient descending city wall that follows the slope of the adjacent street. To the left, a more recent building stands in close proximity to the church.

Art and Architecture

The most striking external feature of the Chiesa dell'Annunziata is the architrave of the portal, supported by two foliated corbels and adorned with an intricate relief of intertwined vine branches emerging from the mouths of two fantastical animals at the ends. An inscription in Gothic characters on the decoration bears the name of the creator: MAGI[STER] A[N]DREAS DE PIPERNO ME FECIT. This sculptor from Priverno is known only for having created this portal, likely in the first half of the 14th century. Recent restorations in Priverno suggest a compositional dependence of this work on the central archivolt of the cathedral's portico (mid-13th century).

The façade also features a small bell gable, with the bronze bell now housed in the local Pio Capponi Civic Museum. Inside, the church follows a Gothic single-nave plan, with the presbytery located in a shallow quadrangular apse on a raised platform. A large pointed arch, covered by a ribbed cross vault, introduces the presbytery, where traces of 13th-century frescoes can still be seen, with painted medallions on the vault's ribs.

Two small chapels with altars, also raised, are situated along the left wall, preserving remnants of old frescoes opposite the stone altars built into the right wall. The altars were dedicated to St. Charles Borromeo, St. Blaise, St. Crescentius, St. Roch, and the Virgin of Mount Carmel. The latter dedication and associated cult are linked to the presence of the Carmelite order in the adjacent monastery, documented in the early 18th century.

Despite its current state of disrepair, the Chiesa dell'Annunziata remains a significant historical and architectural landmark in Terracina. Its storied past and the remnants of its once-grand decorations offer visitors a unique glimpse into the medieval and early modern history of this charming Italian town.