The abbey of San Pietro in Valle is a historic monastery located in the province of Terni , in the municipality of Ferentillo , about 370 m above sea level. The old monastery is privately owned and used as a hotel residence, while the church belongs to the curia. It was built in the 8th century by Faroaldo II, Duke of Spoleto , where the hermits Lazzaro and Giovanni lived. According to legend, the Duke of Spoleto saw in a dream the same Saint Peter who invited him to build a Benedictine monastery in the place of the present abbey. A few years later the duke gave up the title and became a...

The abbey of San Pietro in Valle is a historic monastery located in the province of Terni , in the municipality of Ferentillo , about 370 m above sea level. The old monastery is privately owned and used as a hotel residence, while the church belongs to the curia. It was built in the 8th century by Faroaldo II, Duke of Spoleto , where the hermits Lazzaro and Giovanni lived. According to legend, the Duke of Spoleto saw in a dream the same Saint Peter who invited him to build a Benedictine monastery in the place of the present abbey. A few years later the duke gave up the title and became a monk in the abbey. Since then the monastery was closely linked to the city of Spoleto, welcoming the remains of many of the dukes of the city. At the end of the ninth century the monastery suffered, as happened shortly after in Farfa , the sacking of the Saracens and resources only in 996 by order of Otto III. In 1234 Gregory IX assigned the abbey to the Cistercians in line with what happens in Lazio under Innocent III. In 1484 Pope Innocent VIII donated the fiefdom of the abbey to the Cybo. Since 1917 the convent passed into private hands and today, renovated, is used as a hotel. Pope Innocent VIII (Giovan Battista Cybo - that is Giobatta remembered as the Roman pontiff who began the merciless hunting of witches), as mentioned, constituted a principality for his son Franceschetto Cybo, naming him not only duke of Spoleto but also count of Ferentillo and then governor abbey. A Franceschetto, who married Maddalena de 'Medici, was succeeded by his son Lorenzo Cybo, who married Ricciarda Malaspina marchesa di Massa and Carrara. From the marriage Alberico I Cybo was born, who, after the death of his mother Ricciarda, also assumed (again for his mother's wishes) the surname of Malaspina. Alberico I Cybo-Malaspina thus became Marquis of Massa, Lord of Carrara, Count of Ferentillo governor of Monteleone di Spoleto and therefore also lord of the Abbey of San Pietro in valle. The fiefdom of Cybo Malaspina domination lasted until 1730 with Alderano Cybo. However, the abbey always had the commenda of the Spoleto noble Ancaiani until its final sale in 1907. The building is a national monument visited by many tourists for its works of art, such as the cycle of Roman school frescoes (1150 ) prior to Cavallini; the frescoes in the apse of the master of Eggi from 1445. The church, which remained as a separate body with respect to the abbey, has a single nave dating back to the 7th century ; the apse is from the 12th century . It preserves valuable medieval and Renaissance frescoes of the Umbrian school depicting scenes from the Old and New Testament. Four sarcophagi preserved in the church date back to the second century , which, due to their style and depictions, suggest eastern artists: - Sarcophagus with three boats (journey to Hades). - Sarcophagus of Faroaldo with Dionysus, Silenus, Pan and dancing Maenad. - Sarcophagus of Love and Psyche - Sarcophagus of the hunters. - The carved slab of Bear The two slabs of the main altar, carved in bas - relief , are of the Lombard period. On the front of the altar runs an inscription in Latin , with curious mixed capital letters and small letters: "Ilderico Dagileopa, in honor of Saint Peter and for the sake of Saint Leo and Saint Gregory, for the salvation of the soul ( pro remedio animae )". Ilderico was duke of Spoleto between 739 and 742. The slab is also adorned with two bizarre figures, with the arms bent at 90 ° and raised upwards, with the bare chest and wearing a short skirt. The figures are surrounded by stylized plant stems, which culminate in discs with inscribed crosses. One of the two figures wields a sort of stiletto, considered by some to be a chisel . This would suggest that the figure represents Orso, the sculptor indicated as author of the engraving from the written Ursus magester fecit ("The master Bear did it"). It is more difficult to understand who the other figure is: the skirt, a garment perhaps suited to the activity of a sculptor, is ill suited to the dignity of the duke. The raised arms were interpreted as a ritual attitude and, in this case, the skirt would correspond to the cloth that is worn after baptism (which, in ancient times, took place by immersion). The pose would correspond to that of the contemporary bone altar of Bishop Liudger in Werden (a hamlet of Essen ) or that of the sarcophagus of Bishop Agilbert in the slightly older crypt of Jouarre ( France ). In a recent article published in the monthly "Medioevo" in February 2016, Elena Percivaldi also added other hypotheses, while confirming the interpretation of the scene as a ritual character. This of San Pietro in Valle is one of the very rare cases, in medieval art , in which the client can easily be distinguished from the craftsman, thanks to the fact that they are both mentioned.