Overlooking Piazza San Domenico are buildings that preserve traces of the ancient convent founded, according to tradition, by Dominic de Guzman . Documents dating back to 1287; the convent was suppressed by the French in 1805.
The medieval church, with three naves, had entrances from the cloister and the north street (now Via al Centa). A 14th-century portal and a fresco restored in 2009 depicting Saint Dominic, Blessed Guido Maramaldi, and Saint Margaret of Hungary remain.
In the 17th century, the church was renovated: the high altar was moved to the west, a rose window was opened, and two octagonal lanterns were built. The convent was a center of faith, culture, and administration: it housed the convent library, the archives, and the municipal treasury, as well as Provincial Chapters and famous preachers.
Local noble families contributed altars and tombs, such as those dedicated to Saint Matthew, Saint Sebastian, Saint Thomas Aquinas, and others. The bell tower, rebuilt in 1389, today stands out among the buildings overlooking the square. Fifteenth- and sixteenth-century frescoes survive in the sacristy and cloister, while tradition holds that a cypress tree belonging to the founder dominated the cloister until 1703.
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