Town Teatre (Formerly Church of S. Maria ad Collem)
In 1556, the Ecclesia Sancte Marie ad Collemis listed with the other eight existing churches in the city. In August 1585, Sistus V promotes it to the status of Collegiate Church and the following year it is accorded the dignity of Cathedral intra moenia (within the walls) of the new Diocese of Montalto. There is evidence of a series of altars dedicated to various saints, including Lucia, Nicola, Sebastiano, Francesco and Chiara, Maria del parto, Michele and Angelo Custode. From the report of the visit of the seventh Bishop Ascanio Paganelli in April 1674, the sacred relics donated by the pope of Montalto, namely the very valuable reliquary and 6 candle holders with silver cross, are still preserved in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. In the land registry of 1772, a tall and elegant bell tower is listed; however, the effect of dampness and humidity – a consequence of the position of the building – and the 37 earthquakes that occurred in the 1700s must have compromised its structure so much that it was demolished in August 1851. In the 1950s,the ancient buildingwas deconsecrated and turned into a parish cinema. Then the Curia entrusted it to Town, which began the restoration procedures. The restored Town Theatre of Montalto was inaugurated on the evening of 4 May 2013. The restoration has scrupulously restored every architectural element of this ancient and important structure, including some of the frescoes found in the vault of the apse.