The Decorative Elements
of the Tempietto
Just after the side entrance, several marble slabs remain from the original wall covering, both in the hall and in the presbytery. This wall covering was connected to an elegant marble floor decorated with a star-shaped geometric pattern made of black and white tiles. Today, only a reconstructed section remains in the hall, while the original floor is still visible in the north‑eastern corner of the presbytery, with the impressions left by the tiles.
The current flooring is the result of a 20th‑century restoration, which returned the presbytery to its original level. During this restoration, a medieval funerary chest – known as the Tomb of Piltrude – was also dismantled. It had been built using ancient carved fragments dating back to the 8th century, probably part of an ancient pulpit. These elements are currently displayed on the walls.
In the same corner of the presbytery, there is a cream‑coloured plaster surface with a marbled effect, older than both the floor and the marble wall covering. It could either be part of an early decorative period of the Tempietto, when the chapel had a lower floor level, or it could be a preliminary finish resulting from design changes during the construction works. The projecting position of some large ledges on the eastern side also seems to confirm that the original project was modified while work was in progress.
The upper sections in the presbytery retain only a few traces of the original decoration, which must once have been very elaborate. Nail holes are visible on the side vaults, suggesting a stucco or mosaic covering. A small mosaic fragment is still visible in the southern aisle, near the window.
Between the vault decorations and the marble slabs, there were probably two ornamental bands with a painted inscription. Only a few fragments of this twenty‑four‑verse inscription survive; the clearest is on the north wall of the hall. The text, written in large ochre‑white letters on a purplish background, contained prayers to the Virgin and the Redeemer and mentioned the patrons of the building, presumably members of the royal family: a form of praise, in the style of ancient public dedications.
The rich decorations in the hall confirm the involvement of highly skilled craftsmen.
Paintings and stuccoes are among the highest achievements of Lombard art, as a grand and courtly artistic style was beginning to form.
The western counter‑façade, opposite the presbytery, still shows the original decoration that once continued along the north and south walls. Above the ancient marble base – now hidden by the wooden choir stalls – ran a band of frescoes depicting saints, but only a few fragments remain either side of the entrance arch. The lunettes were also frescoed, with a Christ blessing between the archangels Michael and Gabriel on the western side, and a Madonna and Child between two Archangels on the south side; the northern lunette is now largely lost.
For their elegance and quality, these paintings are considered as some of the finest examples of 8th‑century art, closely related to the Greek‑Byzantine tradition.
The stucco decorations are equally remarkable. The entrance arch and architrave are adorned with an openwork vine scroll, in a naturalistic style that recalls Early Christian and Byzantine art. Other stuccoes decorated the windows and walls, with floral frames that once held small glass ampoules and, presumably, a representation of the Annunciation.
But the most famous elements are the haloed female figures, slightly taller than life‑size, beside the windows. The two figures closest to the window are portrayed in a gesture of devotion, pointing towards the opening as a source of light symbolising Christ. The other four figures at the front wear richly decorated garments and hold the crown of martyrdom and the cross.
Their tall, solemn shapes make the sculptures look like columns, highlighting the upward movement of the architecture. These gentle and mysterious figures have made the Tempietto famous across the world.
