Erected along the East-West direction on the steep slope that from the center of the village of Laverino descends rapidly downstream towards the Orticaia ditch, the ancient Pieve of Saint Maria Assunta stands out precisely for the imposing height of the West elevation in the valley, hut wall, blind, on which only the side of the slender bell-veil stands out at the left end; on the other hand, due to the steep difference in height, the east elevation upstream rises above the road for scarcely two meters.

The interior is therefore accessed both from the North elevation, characterized by the aforementioned bell sail with a single round arch and a small portal located almost in the center – probably the original access -, and from the current main South elevation on which it is beautiful. It shows a portal surmounted by a rectangular window that stands out on a small terraced churchyard.

The original layout dates back to the 14th century – the church is mentioned in the “Vatican Collectories” of 1333 – and consists of the portion of the building that extends from the mountain to the visible tooth on the South elevation, a protrusion that corresponds to the last extension of the 18th century worked to add the current presbytery to the hall: on this occasion, since we have no evidence of the original West elevation, the direction of use of the church was probably also changed.

The structure was restored after the 1997 earthquake and has not found any damage from those of 2016.

INTERIOR

The ancient rectangular hall, more developed on its longitudinal axis, is characterized by a barrel vault set on an ogival arch: the sides host two parallel bands of frescoes attributed to Matteo da Gualdo, or perhaps partly the work of Simone de Magistris.

Resulting of the 19th-century expansion, the presbytery with an almost square plan is dominated by exposed trusses and houses a movable altar in the center, opposed to the pre-conciliar altar placed on the back wall characterized by a finely worked 17th-century wooden dossal.

The rectangular window above the main portal and a small opening on the south front at the east end of the factory are the only sources of natural light.