About

The church of San Pietro sopra le Acque and the adjoining convent of the Reformed Friars Minor play an important role in the historical and artistic context of Massa Martana, both for the antiquity of the foundation and for the beauty of the site in which they stand, as well as for the outstanding artworks preserved there.

The name "Sopra le Acque" ("Above the Waters") derives from the spring waters that rise at the base of the rocky wall delimiting the site to the north.

Unfortunately, there is still no exhaustive documentation reconstructing the history of these monuments. The historical sources handed down to us mainly refer to the rebuilding of the church and the foundation of the convent in the first decades of the 17th century, during a period of relative prosperity for the territory of Massa Martana following its direct dependence on Rome after freeing itself from Todi.

This bond with Rome had beneficial repercussions, still visible on both buildings, in terms of funding and in the decorative and furnishing styles adopted in the church and convent.

The most recent studies are those of Francesco Campagnani, a young scholar of local history. An account written in 1717 informs us that in the year 1614 a crumbling and very old little abbey church, already mentioned in a document dating back to 1275, was demolished in order to build the current church of St. Peter.