The Church of Santa Maria della Valle in Scanno, also known as the Cathedral of the Assumption, is one of the town’s main religious buildings and stands as a significant example of Abruzzese Romanesque architecture. Its current appearance is the result of various alterations over the centuries, particularly those carried out in 1636, when the side entrances were opened, and in 1840, when Gaetano Ciarletta introduced the characteristic oval windows, which were later transformed into circular openings.

The central portal, dating from the 12th–13th centuries and attributed to the Burgundian school, is one of the church’s most striking features: finely carved, each leaf features a high relief depicting two skulls, a symbol of memento mori, reminding the faithful of the transience of life.

The interior is divided into three naves, each corresponding to an entrance, with the central nave culminating in a semicircular apse. Among the most valuable features, the pulpit stands out; crafted by Ferdinando Mosca of Pescocostanzo, it is accessed via a spiral staircase carved into the column on which it rests.

The high altar, in polychrome marble, is decorated with the emblems of the Blessed Sacrament and surmounted by a ciborium. It was crafted by the marble workers of Pescocostanzo and Alfedena to a design by Panfilo Rainaldi.

As a whole, the church represents an important historical, artistic and religious landmark for Scanno, the guardian of centuries of faith and tradition.