Address: via Sarna
The most beautiful and important church of the countryside of Faenza, of ancient origins (VIII century), radically restructured during the mid 1700’s and today still a rich work of art.
Explaination: The current building is definitely very ancient, even though it has only conserved a small high part of the southern side of its primitive late Byzantine phase. The bell tower dates to the early 1700’s and is doubtfully attributed to the Faentine architect Carlo Cesare Scaletta, whilst the interior was entirely restructured after the mid 1700’s by the Archpriest Tomaso Violani, who for the wall parts took on the architect Gian Battista Campidori and for the stucco decorations called an unknown but extremely able artist (the old attribution to Carlo Sarti has today been set aside and the theory of Verda of Ticino has been set forward, present in Faenza and a collaborator of Campidori). Amongst the artworks there is a beautiful late gothic fresco depicting S. Antonio Abate of 1430, by an unknown maestro who was probably of Faenza and the splendid altarpiece on the main altar with “The Assumption with San Luigi and San Macario”, the only certain work by the very rare Greek painter Nicola Valletta, educatedin Venice by Amigoni.
Additional notes: The only monographic guide dedicated to this church is that of Antonio Savioli, 1971, that has been sold out for some time.
Sundays and public holidays: Holy Mass is celebrated at 8.00 am and 11.00 am.
