Crypt of Sant' Isacco (12th century)

The crypt (reached by stairs in the left aisle of Sant' Ansano) was built under the new apse of that church when it was extended south into what had been the Roman forum.  Originally, it formed an integral part of the church, which had a joint dedication to St Ansanus and St Isaac.  It was only in the 17th century that the church become known exclusively as Sant' Ansano while the crypt took on the dedication as Sant' Isacco. 

The entrance to the crypt from the church was closed as part of the re-modeling of the late 18th century, and the crypt was given its own entrance in the back wall [accessible from Via dell' Arco di Druso ??].  The present entrance was opened in 1971, using the remains of what had been a flight of steps from the forum to the Roman temple.  The back wall runs along the line of the facade of the temple.  [Roman remains ??]

The crypt is in the form of a nave and two aisles that are separated by columns (9th century) that probably came from the original church.

Relics of St Isaac

St Isaac was initially buried in the crypt of San Giuliano.  His relics were subsequently moved into a fine sarcophagus (12th century) that was translated to Sant' Ansano in 1502.  The relics and their sarcophagus were originally in the crypt.  They were subsequently moved to the high altar of the church. 

The original sarcophagus was sold in the 19th century, the relics were moved into a new one that was donated by Pope Pius IX, who was Bishop of Spoleto in the period 1827-32. 

• The relics have recently been enclosed in a copy (1999) of the original sarcophagus, which stands in front of the back wall of Sant' Isacco. 
  

• The original sarcophagus was recovered by the Commune on the initiative of Giuseppe Sordini and  is now in Room 5 of the Museo Nazionale del Ducato di Spoleto.)
  

• The 19th century sarcophagus was used in 2000 for the relics of the Blessed Simon of Collazzone and is now under the high altar of Sant' Ansano.
  

Frescoes (11th century)

The frescoes on the walls of the crypt are the among the oldest that survive in Spoleto.  They were mostly detached for restoration in the 1950s and then returned to their original locations.  A comparison of these frescoes with the Biblical scenes on the bell-tower of the Benedictine Abbey of Farfa, dating back to the third quarter of the 11th century, supports the attribution of a similar date. 

Starting from the back wall and proceeding clockwise, the frescoes depict:

Back Wall

• the capture of Christ.

Left Wall

• Christ washes St Peter’s feet;

• the Last Supper;

• the beheading of a saint and glorification of a bishop saint;

• a fragment (15th century) of a monk saint, which was uncovered on the pilaster in 1971; and

• the Madonna and Child with angels.

Apse

• St Michael and two monk saints,

• Madonna and Child enthroned with angels and St Martial (the second abbot of San Giuliano, who is identified by inscription); and

• St Isaac, who pacifies a furious ram.

Right of the Apse

• Christ crowns two monk saints;

• fragment of an unidentified scene;

• fragment of an unidentified scene involving a young man and a child;

• St Isaac blessing a young monk; and

• St Isaac and a boy with a basket of food.  

Right Wall

• an unidentified scene with three monk saints.