The Most Beautiful Churches in Civitavecchia

In Civitavecchia you can admire many churches from different periods and styles. Here are the most beautiful churches of Civitavecchia and their fascinating history.

The Cathedral of Civitavecchia

Baroque in style and with a beautiful staircase, the Cathedral of Civitavecchia is a must-see!

Dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi, the Cathedral of Civitavecchia is the main church of the city. It is located near the historic centre, in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, and it’s site of the episcopal cathedral of the Diocese of Civitavecchia and Tarquinia.

Built on the remains of a Franciscan church, the Cathedral was erected under the pontificate of Paul V in 1610. Pope Clement XIV had it rebuilt later, commissioning the architect Francesco Navone.

It became the Cathedral of Civitavecchia in 1805.

After the bombardments of 1943 it was seriously damaged and then was completely restored in 1950 by the architect Plinio Marconi.

On the upper floor of the church there are two big statues of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Anthony of Padua. Inside, there is a single nave with symmetrical chapels on the sides hollowed out at the back.

In the right-side chapel you can’t miss the Nativity attributed to Domenico Zampieri, known as Domenichino. And, above the tympanum, you can also admire two sculptural figures representing Faith and Justice, both by Pietro De Laurentiis.

Church of the Holy Japanes Martyrs 

Another church that is worth visiting is the Church of the Holy Japanese Martyrs.

It is located in Largo San Francesco d'Assisi, which you can easily reach with a very pleasant walk. It is a route that, from the Marina of Civitavecchia and passing by the Pirgo platform, will take you to the Thaon de Revel Promenade, with its open-air restaurants and the small tourist port of Lega Navale.

In the small square in front of the church you can admire the statue of St. Francis of Assisi. In the interior of the church there are beautiful frescoes by Japanese painter Luca Hasegawa.

Find out about the fascinating history of Japan in Civitavecchia!

Church of Santa Maria dell'Orazione (Church of the Death) 

You should also visit the Church of Santa Maria della Orazione, in the past Rotonda del Suffragio but known as Chiesa della Morte (Church of Death). It is the oldest church in Civitavecchia!

How to get there? From Piazza Leandra, passing the Archetto, go through Piazza Aurelio Saffi and then you will find this beautiful baroque church, in the heart of the historic centre.

Built in 1685, this church is bound to the work of the Confraternity of Death and Prayer, founded in the second half of the 16th century to give a dignified burial to the corpses abandoned outside the city walls or scattered at the sea.

Completely restored in 1702, it resisted the bombardments of the Second World War.

In addition, four small symmetrical doors lead respectively to four other chapels: the chapel of the Guglielmi (dedicated to the Blessed Virgin of the Seven Sorrows), the chapel of St.Michele (which served as an oratory), the sacristy and the parish office.

Church of the Star (Chiesa della Stella)

The small Church of Madonna delle Grazie, better known as Chiesa della Stella (Church of the Star), is located in Piazza Leandra, the oldest square in Civitavecchia.

The church is the seat of the Archconfraternity of Gonfalone, founded by St Bonaventura in 1274.

During the fights and uprisings that took place in Rome in 1354, the Confraternity managed to bring back order and end the slaughter in the name of the Virgin Mary. The Holy Cross became the emblem, flag and banner of peace and justice.

Among the works of art that can be admired inside the church there is a beautiful wooden statue of the Virgin Mary.

In the tabernacle, above the altar, you can admire the statue of the Madonna delle Grazie, which on every 8th of September is the protagonist of a solemn procession through the streets of the city centre and the coves of the historic port. Inside the church, you can also see the wooden crucifix of the Cristo Morto, which every Holy Friday is carried through the streets of Civitavecchia in the traditional and evocative Procession of the Cristo Morto.

Finally, on the two side walls, there are two frescoes by the local painter Ennio Galice (20th century): L'Adorazione del Bambino Gesù and Il Cristo Tra Due Santi.

Church of St Augustine

Among the most beautiful churches in Civitavecchia, we also recommend the Church of St. Augustine, famous for its Madonnina.

Located about 7 km north of Civitavecchia, it is a small rural church surrounded by vegetation.

Next to the church there is the Sanctuary of the Madonna of Pantano. Here, in an armoured reliquary, is kept a small plaster figure of the Vergin of Medjugorje who is said to have wept blood on February the 2nd, 1995.

The Catholic Church has not yet officially pronounced on the phenomenon but, meanwhile, the shrine has become a place of worship for thousands of faithful who get here from all over Italy.

Our itinerary through the most beautiful churches in Civitavecchia ends here.

We have prepared this Top 5 with the churches you can’t miss...but keep in mind that there are more beautiful churches in Civitavecchia!