The Mediaeval Ruins

Itinerary details: The most ancient building of Mediaeval Faenza is the current crypt of the S. Ippolito church in the street of the same name (Rione Nero). The crypt is built of re-used Roman material and was built in phases, of which at least one of the VII-VIII century and the other, of extension, of the XII-XIII century. The crypt is made of three distinct areas. The bell tower of S.Maria Vecchia (piazzetta San Rocco, Rione Verde) is also very suggestive, once believed of the VIII century and today brought to the later date of X-XI century. It is practically unique in its type due to the octagonal structure closed into a cylindrical “internal sheath”: the spiral staircase leading to the bell area rises between one and the other, under which there is a singular cell, almost a sort of raised crypt, with three mullion windows with partly original columns (the others are of post-war restoration). The S.Bartolomeo Church (today Tempio dei Caduti – War Memorial, in Corso Matteotti) has a very net, almost “standardised” construction typology that today still conserves several of its original Romanic parts dating back to the XIII century. The churches of S.Lazzaro (on Via Emilia Levante, around 4 km from he city) and San Giacomo della Penna in the piazza of the same name that has been transformed into a home and is almost unrecognisable, must have been contemporary constructions. Apart from a few fragmented cases, such as what remains of the 1300’s cloister of San Giovanni Battista in the street of the same name (Rione Rosso),the most important medieval architectural document is the Church of the Commenda in Corso Europa (Borgo Durbecco). The church still maintains its plant of the 1200’s and parts that have not been touched (apse, bell tower), whilst the side portico of the left wing dates back to the end of that century or the beginning of the following. Of medieval origins, although retouched in the 14 and 1500’s is the cloister on the opposite side of the complex.