Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in San Marco D'Alunzio
The Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in San Marco D'Alunzio, also known as the Church of Sant'Agostino or Chiesa dei Filangeri, is a small religious building located along the ancient Via Aluntina.
It was built in 1398 at the behest of the Filangeri family, of Norman descent, and was used as a noble chapel. In a subsequent period the sacred building was flanked by the convent of Augustinian monks. It was a three-storey building with 19 cells and an adjoining vegetable garden which, due to its poor conditions, was demolished in 1869 and replaced with a large square.
The simple gabled façade does not present any architectural elements of relief. Along the side elevation there is a small bell tower.
The interior, with a single nave, has a single chapel.
Inside the church there are two sarcophagi of notable artistic and historical value: a sarcophagus, dating back to 1616, it is made of red San Marco marble and houses the remains of Pietro Filingeri, founder of the religious building; the second sarcophagus, dating back to 1481, is made of white Carrara marble and houses the remains of Marco Scipione and Vincenzo Filingeri, sons of Count Riccardo. The latter presents, on the lid, a bas-relief of particular artistic value which represents one of the princes in a supine position with his head resting on embroidered cushions, a long sword on his crossed arms and a lion at his feet.
Among the other works kept in the church, the marble statue of the Madonna of the Gaginian school, located on the main altar, is of particular value.