Church of San Salvatore

The church of San Salvatore, located in the small square of the same name, is a short distance from Palazzo Spada, the Town Hall of Terni.

It is one of the oldest religious buildings in Terni, certainly the most impressive, whose origins date back to the early Middle Ages.
Archaeological excavations carried out in the area have brought to light the remains of a Roman domus, on which the church was built. An ancient tradition says that a temple dedicated to the Sun stood on this site, while it was thought that it could originally have been a mausoleum, a baptistery or an oratory. The dating also varies widely, ranging from the 7th century to the 10th century. Some historians identify the building with the oratory of San Salvatore, attached to the church of St. Peter.

Currently the building consists of several parts, the result of successive extensions. In Roman times, a short two-bay nave was added to the round room. Then in the 14th century the Manassei chapel was built and in the 17th century the Filerna chapel, which is now used as a sacristy, was built. The striking interior preserves several series of frescoes.