St Anne’s Church - Teramo

St Anne’s Church is what is left of the old cathedral of Teramo, which was dedicated to Saint Mary Aprutensis. It was built on the ruins of a Roman domus (house) in the Byzantine period (6^th century). The church was rebuilt and embellished many times over until when the Normans set it on fire and destroyed it in the 12^th century. During the fire, the remains of Saint Berardo – the patron saint of the town – remained miraculously untouched and they are still kept in the small church.

Inside the church and under the glass slabs one can admire the Roman mosaic floor of the Republic period. Almost certainly, this was taken from another Roman building perhaps along with two small columns with marble Corinthian capitals.

Of great interest is the middle bay that presents ribbed pointed vaults. This is the only evidence of the previous central nave (around 1170) and the first evidence of the Lombard skilled workers employed in Abruzzo.

Finally one can admire the frescos with the Madonna at the centre (14^th – 15^th century) that are behind the altar.

The remains of the ‘Torre bruciata’ (burn tower) and of the Roman part of the building are kept in a wide stretch at the rear of the church.