Abbazia di Santa Maria in Viepri

The abbey of Santa Maria is the first sign of welcome that one meets after leaving the Viepri cemetery and a recently restored fountain at the end of a short uphill stretch of road. The building was probably built around 1150 at the behest of the local lords of Castelvecchio, despite having suffered heavy door transformations upon himself the traces of an ancient dominance of the surrounding area, having held, in the thirteenth century, the role of church of the castle of Monteschignano. The importance of the abbey are also witnesses two inscriptions with Latin text * located in the heart of the nearby village of Viepri, testifying to the membership of the church of the "castrum" in question (see photo). It is worth mentioning that in one of the two stone insignia is set with a painted ceramic tile and dated 1678, depicting the abbey of Santa Maria surmounted by a Madonna with child and a pair of angels. This last epigraph is located at the entrance of a house in Via del Borgo, to the left of a stone staircase that climbs up to the arch with the coat of arms of the Municipality of Todi. Inside the church there are two paintings by Andrea Polinori and traces of frescoes dating from the seventeenth century. Take a break in this little known but certainly noteworthy place of worship, before resuming your journey in beautiful Umbria. * The text reads: ABBATIA SANCTAE MARIAE / CASTRI VEPRIUM POSSIDET, literally: "The abbey of Santa Maria owns the city of Viepri".