The lovely Romanesque church of St. Eufemia stands in the courtyard of the Palazzo Arcivescovile (Archbishop’s Palace). Historical texts refer to a church near the Palazzo Ducale (Duke’s Palace) dedicated to this saint in the tenth century, when Spoleto was still the capital of the powerful dukedom. According to tradition, one night in 980, Gunderada, the Mother Superior of a Benedictine monastery, with some other nuns and a priest recovered the body of the martyr Giovanni, bishop of Spoleto, and took it to the church, which later became a pilgrimage destination because of various miraculous events attributed to him. In the 11th century, the church underwent profound changes and extensions following the construction of the Archbishop’s Palace, which incorporated the previous structure, enriching it on this occasion with numerous Lombard elements. Today this church is the most valuable example of Lombard-style Romanesque architecture in the city.
In 1446, Pope Eugene IV appointed his brother Marco Condulmer as administrator of the diocese, and for some time he decided that the church would change its name and be dedicated to St Lucia. There is a column in the church decorated with a fresco of Saint Lucia, dated to 1455.
Over the following centuries, the church underwent numerous, mostly damaging renovations, until its final restoration in modern times, carried out between 1907 and 1954 by the Spoleto archaeologist Giuseppe Sordinie. Today it is used now and then for liturgical, artistic and cultural events, having been deconsecrated long ago.
The particularly simple façade is made of very light-colored stone blocks and has a large central door with recessed arches and double lancet windows.
The interior is divided into three naves separated by columns and pillars, very much reminiscent of the church of St. Lorenzo in Verona, so much so as to suggest the involvement of Veronese workers in the realization of this lovely building.