photo © Louise Shapcott

Church of Santa Croce – Il Colle

The small Church of Santa Croce of Atina is located just out of town in the district known as Il Colle.  This was built in the early 1700’s on the hill of Santa Croce. In the last will and testament of Salvatore Tutinelli it was ordered that a church should be built on the site where a cross had been erected. Here, in ancient times there had been a Roman settlement and a temple. The church is built of stone and has an unusual octagonal  structure with a lunette and a small circular window.

The interior is decorated with several frescoes and it also has three altars dedicated to: The Tempering of the Cross, Our Lady of Mount Carmel with St. Ignatius and the saints of the  Jesuit Order, and Raphael the Archangel  accompanying Tobias.