Chiesa della Santa Maria Assunta

After the Romans left, Talamone was uninhabited.

For reasons unknown, the locals avoided the seaside town until the Middle Ages when a few aristocratic families began rebuilding homes here.

As a result, its monuments and churches aren’t particularly old. That doesn’t make the Chiesa della Santa Maria Assunta any less beautiful though.

The church was built in 1949 after the original was completely destroyed by WWII bombers.

Its richly decorated portal and large rose window are topped by the bust of St Benedict – one of the few pieces recovered from the original church.

Inside, the decorations are sparse, but there is a beautiful painting by Pietro Aldo of the Madonna and St Peter from 1880.