In the heart of Castelmauro, overlooking the hilly mountain landscape of Molise, stands the Church of San Leonardo Confessore, a place of worship full of history, art and spirituality. Its construction dates back to 1250, in full Apulian Romanesque style, and took place on a hill known as Colle Santo.
Over the centuries the building has undergone several interventions but it was especially in 1725, under the bishop Battiloro, that the church was transformed profoundly. Restored in baroque style, it was elevated to the rank of co-cathedral and chosen as summer-autumn residence of the prelate. This restoration gave the church the artistic elegance that can still be admired today.
The building, made of local exposed stone, has a rectangular longitudinal plan with three naves, transept and domes that decorate the vault. Under the floor several burials have been found, the last dating back to 1854, which testify to the ancient cemetery function of the place.
On the outside stands the bell tower with five levels that rises on an ogival arch built over a public street. The structure, restored in 1855, 1909 and 1985, houses four bells, two of which were fused to Agnone, home of the thousand-year-old bell tradition. One in particular, made by Ercole Mannelli in 1600, is among the oldest.
The façade, sober and austere, is divided into two sections by the bell tower and is characterized by stone carved portals, one of which adorned with volutes and a broken tympanum with aedicule. The building is accessed through a stone staircase that accompanies visitors to the interior. Here round arches, sturdy pillars and a cantoria in masonry on the counter-facade complete the architectural system.
In addition to the liturgical spaces, the church includes housing units, warehouses and warehouses, testimony of its function also civil and community in past centuries.
The Church of San Leonardo Confessore is today not only a religious reference point for Castelmauro but also one of the most significant historical and artistic testimonies of Molise, ideal to visit for those who want to discover the deep roots of this fascinating village.