Built by Arechis II, the ruler of Benevento, Santa Sofia Church was modeled on the Palatine Chapel of the Lombard king Liutprand in Pavia. Dedicated to Holy Wisdom, the church was intended to assert Arechis' claim as the highest Lombard authority. However, the church was severely damaged by earthquakes in 1688 and 1702. Cardinal Orsini, the future Pope Benedict XIII, had the church rebuilt in Baroque style. The restoration work transformed the plan from a stellar to a circular one, added two side chapels, and changed the appearance of the apse, of the façade and of the pillars.
Most of the original frescoes were destroyed in the process. Today, Santa Sofia Church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of a group of seven, inscribed as Longobards in Italy. At its heart, the church has a diameter of 23.5 metres (77 ft) and six columns, possibly from the city's ancient Temple of Isis. The church also houses a bell tower that was built by Abbot Gregory II under the rule of Pandulf III of Salerno. An inscription in Lombard script testifies to the construction of the bell tower, which originally protected the sepulchre of Arechis II. The bell tower was rebuilt in 1703 in a different position, and today it houses the Samnium Museum.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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