Santo Stefano Church

Nestled in a picturesque little square south of the Via Emilia, the Church of Santo Stefano is one of the oldest and most fascinating sites in Reggio Emilia.For centuries, its name has been synonymous with the entire surrounding neighbourhood and one of the city’s four historic gateways.
The building, surrounded by an elegant portico with round arches and stone columns, features a charming 15th-century cloister on its north side.

The earliest records date back to 1130, when the church came into the possession of the Knights Templar, who established a hospital here for pilgrims and the needy.
With the suppression of the Order of the Temple in the 14th century, the complex passed to the Knights of Malta, who retained it until 1696, when it was acquired by the friars of St Francis of Paola.
A century later, in 1794, the church was handed over to the Discalced Carmelites, only to be closed following the suppression of the order in 1798 and reopened ten years later.

Interior design and works of art

The interior, comprising three naves with four bays and barrel vaults, still retains its original simplicity.
During the restoration work in 1953, the ancient original columns, long concealed by more recent pillars, were brought to light, restoring the church to its medieval form.
On the left-hand column, near the side entrance, one can admire a Romanesque capital depicting Jesus the Teacher, an angel and a headless female figure: this is the oldest Romanesque sculptural find in the city.

Among the most significant works housed in the church, the following stand out:

• The Madonna Presenting the Child to Saint Felix of Cantalice by Alessandro Tiarini, a great master of 17th-century Bologna;
• The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist by Galeotti;
• Saint Francis of Paola by Carlo Cignani, a painter of refined Baroque sensibility.