Situated in the ancient quarter of Civitanova the church Santa Maria Maggiore dominates the city of Lanciano with its magnificent gothic façade The legend states that the church was constructed on the site of a pagan temple to Apollo, located in the place where the so-called “Nundinae meractus” town fairs were held. The excavations for the restoration in 1968 brought to light some traces of a Romanic church that probably date back to the end of the 12th century, transformed and assimilated with successive rebuilding. The main façade dominates the neighbouring Piazza, at the top of a flight steps is the Francesco Petrini entrance with lunettes carved into it, above the architrave the name of the author of these works and the date of their realization (1317) together with a sculpted depiction of the crucifixion. The decorative talent that characterizes this entrance makes it one of the more interesting examples of art in Abruzzo from the 1300s. The rose window positioned in alignment with entrance is made up of concentric circles, of which the most external has an ornate cornice with bass reliefs showing flower patterns.  To the right of the main façade the typical renaissance entrance has stylistic characteristics similar to the entrance found on the Southern wall the so-called Federiciano that was  typical of the Puglian construction requested by Federico 2nd of Svevia. The façade of the original church opens onto Via Garibaldi, on the Western side of the building. At the centre of the façade is the entrance with a double pointed arch prior to the real entrance into the church. At the centre of the side is located the bell tower, divided into three levels created with ledged arches and a stone cornice. The interior is divided into three naves with cruciform pilasters with piers and small columns and adjoining them that support pointed arches. The presbytery, octagonal inside and squared externally follows the body of the nave lengthways. In addition to the left wall are the surviving spaces of the 16th century church part of the central nave and the left hand nave with side chapels. The sacristy contains a silver cross of Nicola da Guardiagrele.