The Church of Santa Maria della Vita was founded in the second half of the 13th century by the Congregation of Battuti or Flagellati, whose name derived from their custom of flagellating themselves for penitence. The Congregation was one of the first in Italy that followed the Organization of the Disciplinati (or disciplined ones), established in Perugia in 1260 by Raniero Fasani. Members mainly devoted themselves to charitable activities, so much so that they built a hospital and church (Santa Maria della Vita) in 1287. The church, which is actually a shrine, was extended between 1454 and 1502 and rebuilt at the end of the 17th century by architect G. B. Bergonzoni after the ceiling collapsed in 1686. The dome was designed by Giuseppe Tubertini and built in 1787. The inside of the building features an elliptic layout and an elegant open style, and is home to the famous Compianto del Cristo Morto (Lamentation over the Dead Christ), a masterpiece of Italian sculpture. The piece was sculpted by Niccolò dell'Arca during the second half of the 15th century. On the high altar there is a fresco dating back to the second half of the 14th century portraying “Madonna della Vita”.