Church of Sant'Angelo, Perugia

View of Facade.

The Church of Sant' Angelo is a paleo-Christian temple in the city of Perugia in Umbria. The circular building dates to the 5th to 6th century, and incorporates corinthian capped columns from a prior pagan temple. The church is also known as the Temple of San Michele Arcangelo, since it is dedicated to the Archangel Michael, whose churches were often located in elevated spots. The small round church is also often called a Tempietto, and is located in the neighborhood, Borgo Sant'Angelo near the ancient northern gate (Porta Sant'Angelo) of the city.

Interior of temple.

cupula

Plan of church.

The structure of the church has been altered across the centuries; in 1479, it was converted into a small fort. A major restoration occurred in 1948 that revealed ancient frescoes and sealed windows. The architecture is an early Romanesque with Byzantine influences in the chapel placement, but the circular temple is something seen in other ancient churches in central Italy, including the church of Sant'Ercolano and of San Giovanni Rotondo in Perugia. It recalls the church of Santo Stefano Rotondo (460-480) in Rome.

Interior

The interior has a circumferential ambulatory 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 order.