San Giorgio Church

The Church of San Giorgio in Rio Saliceto is a fascinating treasure trove of faith, art and history.
The earliest records of a chapel dedicated to St George date back to 1070, when it was listed among the assets of the Church of Reggio owned by Marquis Bonifazio, father of Countess Matilde of Canossa.
The presence of a priest as early as 1238 confirms the existence of an established Christian community.
The original church, by then in a state of disrepair, was rebuilt in the 19th century to a design by the engineer Raffaele Villa of Correggio and reconsecrated on 23 April 1879.

Today, the building has a Latin cross plan with a semicircular apse and three naves, illuminated by large windows and supported by square pillars that lend harmony and solidity to the interior.
The high altar is adorned with a refined scagliola altarpiece, surmounted by a painting depicting the Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John, probably inspired by Correggio.
Among the most valuable works are the Madonna of Loreto, supported and crowned by angels, and Saint Roch in Prison, a 17th-century copy by Guido Reni, which bears witness to the rich artistic heritage housed within the church.
Dramatic events such as the 1995 earthquake necessitated restoration and consolidation work, completed in 2000, which restored the building to its original grandeur.

The history of the site also has Roman roots: during 17th-century excavations, an imposing sarcophagus with marble lions and funerary urns was discovered, one of which bears the inscription “C. Fuficius Hilario” and is now preserved in the Palazzo dei Principi di Correggio.
The Church of San Giorgio thus represents a place where history, art and devotion intertwine, offering visitors an experience of charm and spirituality.