San Valentino Parish Church

Nestled amidst the green hills, the San Valentino Parish Church is one of the oldest and most evocative churches in the Reggio Emilia area.
Its charm lies in the perfect fusion of Renaissance art and spirituality: the apse is dominated by the extraordinary altarpiece by Benvenuto Tisi, known as ‘il Garofalo’, a masterpiece from 1517 commissioned by the noble Sacrati family, who were the feudal lords of the area at the time.
The work depicts the Madonna Enthroned with the Child, flanked by Saints Stephen and Eleucadius, and in the upper section a delicate Christ taken down from the Cross.

Restored in 1991, the altarpiece has regained its vivid luminosity and original colours, bearing witness to the refinement of the great painter from Ferrara.
The façade of the parish church, embellished with spires, two rose windows and a terracotta portal decorated with floral motifs, preserves the silence of centuries of faith.
After being struck by lightning, the spire of the bell tower was rebuilt in 1947 and, in 2010, careful restoration work restored the parish church to its former architectural splendour.