San Michele Arcangelo Church

The church of San Michele Arcangelo is a religious building located in the town of Montasola, in the province of Rieti, Lazio. It is the oldest church in the town, probably dating back to the 12th century.
The church is situated in a dominant position over the town, in an area that was the site of the ancient castle of Montasola. The building has a single nave with a semicircular apse, and is made of local stone. The facade is gabled, with a central portal surmounted by a pointed arch. At the top, there is a circular rose window.
The interior of the church is simple and austere. The high altar is dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel, and contains a 16th-century wooden statue of the saint. Of particular interest is the holy water stack, made of marble with carved figures of animals and the papal coat of arms.
Inside, it preserves intact the original floor and a painting of the Virgin Mary; at the sides stand the forms, recessed into the wall, of two altars, one opposite the other: the altar of St. Lucy on the right, with a beautiful painting dedicated to the saint but in need of restoration, and that of St. Mary Magdalene the penitent, on the left.
The little church was kept for years almost in neglect: the roof fell in, and perhaps at that time the paintings of the two altars disappeared. Necessary restoration work was carried out not long ago, thanks mainly to proceeds sent by a community from Montasola that emigrated to France, to the town of Annecy, in the early years of the last century, indicating their attachment to their roots and affection for places dear to customs and memory. In the floor the manhole covers of two tombs can be seen, and in the small sacristy the stone of an ossuary.
The church of St. Michael the Archangel is today an important testimony to medieval architecture in Sabina and is now a place of worship and historical-artistic interest.