Notaresco - San Clemente al Vomano

The abbey to which this church once belonged was founded by the Benedictines, probably in 874, and is associated with donations from Emperor Lothair II (Ludovico II) and his mother Ermengarde of Tours.

In 911 the abbey was destroyed during a Saracen invasion, rebuilt, and again desecrated by the Normans in 1077. During the reconstruction, the relics of St. Clement were discovered under the pavement. The portal of the church bears the date 1108 for this reconstruction. However, the monastery soon fell into disrepair again.

The floor plan of the church consists of three naves, each ending with a semicircular apse and supported by pillars or columns of brick or stone. The interior of the presbytery is covered by a carved ciborium from the 12th century, known for Islamic influences. Unfortunately, the church was locked, so I could not see the ciborium.