Albano Laziale

St. Peter Church

This church, located on the main road of Albano (Corso Matteotti), was built by Pope Hormisdas (514 – 523 AD) from one of the large rooms of the baths built by Emperor Caracalla. The most important restoration dates back to late medieval times (12th century). Further changes were also made in the 14th century, some of which can be seen today such as the pointed arch with marble columns and brackets above a door on the western side of the church and, on the eastern side, two finely decorated Imperial Roman entablatures together with the 12th century Romanesque bell-tower arranged over four floors with one or two lighted windows.

It has a rectangular shape with a wooden roof truss. The left hand altar rests on a sarcophagus from the middle of the 3rd century and the right hand altar stands above the Sacra Conversazione di Gherardo delle Notti (16th century).

In 1440, the Savelli family purchased the church and buried some of its members in the chapel, which later was destroyed. Today the tombs are still conserved in the church.

On the walls we can still see some frescos among which the finest are the one of the Vergine del Segno of the Byzantine period, located in a niche, as well the one depicting St. Margaret and St. Honofruis (13th – 14th century). We cannot leave out the altarpiece by Tiziano illustrating St. Peter receiving the keys and the standards (16th century).