San Michele Arcangelo, also known as Sant'Angelo, is a paleo-Christian temple in the city of

Perugia Perugia ( , ; ; ) is the capital city of Umbria in central Italy, crossed by the River Tiber. The city is located about north of Rome and southeast of Florence. It covers a high hilltop and part of the valleys around the area. It has 162,467 ...

Umbria Umbria ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region of central Italy. It includes Lake Trasimeno and Cascata delle Marmore, Marmore Falls, and is crossed by the Tiber. It is the only landlocked region on the Italian Peninsula, Apennine Peninsula. The re ...

. The circular building dates to the 5th to 6th century, and incorporates corinthian capped columns from a prior pagan temple. It is dedicated to the

Archangel Michael Michael, also called Saint Michael the Archangel, Archangel Michael and Saint Michael the Taxiarch is an archangel and the warrior of God in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The earliest surviving mentions of his name are in third- and second ...

, whose churches were often located in elevated spots. The small round church is also often called ''Tempio'' or ''Tempietto'', and is located in the neighborhood Borgo Sant'Angelo, near the ancient northern gate (Porta Sant'Angelo) of the city. The structure of the church has undergone various alterations over the centuries. In 1479, it was converted into a small fort. A major restoration in 1948 uncovered ancient frescoes and previously sealed windows. Architecturally, the building reflects early Romanesque style with

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...

influences, particularly in the layout of the chapels. The circular plan, however, is a feature shared with other ancient churches in central Italy, such as Sant'Ercolano and San Giovanni Rotondo in Perugia. The design also recalls that of

Santo Stefano Rotondo The Basilica of St. Stephen in the Round on the Caelian Hill (, ) is an ancient basilica and titular church in Rome, Italy. Commonly named Santo Stefano Rotondo, the church is Hungary's "national church" in Rome, dedicated to both Saint Stephen, ...

(c. 460–480) in Rome.

Interior

The interior has a circumferential

ambulatory The ambulatory ( 'walking place') is the covered passage around a cloister or the processional way around the east end of a cathedral or large church and behind the high altar. The first ambulatory was in France in the 11th century but by the 13t ...

delimited by sixteen columns with corinthian capitals. The interior has some notable early Christian symbolism, including a pentagram at the entrance and some crosses belonging to

Knights Templar The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, mainly known as the Knights Templar, was a Military order (religious society), military order of the Catholic Church, Catholic faith, and one of the most important military ord ...

order.Wiki of Comuni Italiani
entry on Tempietto.

Gallery

Image:Interno del tempio di Sant'Angelo.JPG, Interior of the temple Image:Perugia S.Angelo.jpg, Cupola of the temple Image:MZK 05 - 1860 Reisenotizen Italien Fig 072 Perugia St. Angelo Querschnitt.jpg, Architectural plan of the church (cross-section)

References

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