Church of Santa Margherita

This stands on the site of an ancient church which S. Margherita had built and dedicated to Saints Basilio, Egidio and Caterina; another church was subsequenly built next to it, which was altered a number of times over the years and was then totally renovated between 1855 and 1897.

In 1288 S. Margherita asked Guglielmino, Bishop of Arezzo, for the authorization to re-build the oratory which bad been built in 1217. She was refused permission but obtained authorization from his successor in August, 1290 and thus the work was brought to completion. After the death of the Saint, the Community of Cortona built (1297-1304) a church dedicated to her, according to a plan by Giovanni Pisano, and next to the already existing oratory.

The Gothic building had a single nave corresponding to the central nave of the present church. The splendid rose window which can still be admired today in the facade, was a part of the former church. After various alterations, the present church was built between 1850 and 1897. It measures 41 m. by 24 m. beyond the choir and was built to the plan of the architect, Mariano Falcini, while the facade was re-done by the architect, Giuseppe Castellucci.

This magnificent re-structuring was carried out by the will of the Cortonese people who bad remained unharmed by the cholera which at that time had hit almost all of Tuscany. The body of Santa Margherita is visible in a casket on the main altar. The internal lining of the casket, which is made of solid silver, was designed by Pietro Berrettini (17th centry). On entering the church, on the right is the Pietro Berrettini chapel in which there is a painting by Federico Barocci da Urbino. The second chapel, built by Mariotto Radi in 1606, contains a painting by Jacopo Clmenti. On the left-hand wall there is a painting by Francesco Vanni da Siena in the first chapel and one by Pietro Gianotti da Bologna in the second. The statues on the pilasters by Amalia Duprè, are also interesting and were sculpted between 1881 and 1884. The flags and lamps seized from the privateering ships by Cortonese belonging to the Order of Malta are well-preserved in the large cabinets. The oldes of the bells was cast by Johannes Pisanus in 1322 and another by Moreni Tognozzi of Florence in 1765. The rest of the bells are newer.