Todi - Chiesa del Santissimo Crocifisso

Todi was founded by the Umbri, in the 8th-7th century BC. The settlement on top of a mountain was named "Tutere", which meant "border", as it was located on the frontier with the Etruscans` area. It was conquered by the Romans in 217 BC and changed its name to Tuder.

Christianity reached Todi very early and already in the 2nd century, a bishop resided here. The Ostrogoths took the town after a siege and in 759 the Longobards followed. After negotiations between Pope Paul I and Desiderius, the last King of the Lombards and Charlemagne´s father-in-law, Todi became incorporated into the Duchy of Rome.

In 771 Charlemagne had the marriage annulled. Soon after he attacked and defeated Desiderius, assumed the title King of the Lombards (774), and disposed of his ex-father-in-law, who lived the rest of his life in the abbey of Corbie.





Initially, the church was also called "delle Forche" because in the Middle Ages gallows for death sentences stood near the church. [

The Curia then ordered the removal of the scaffold and the construction of a church, which began in 1587. After various changes to the original project (a circular plan) was changed to the current Greek cross plan with a round roof culminating with a small lantern. The works ceased in 1610. Covering was not possible until 1740 after work resumed.