Church of San Martino

Address and contacts

Via 11 febbraio, 2 - 42030 Vezzano sul Crostolo
Phone 0039 0522 601102

How to get there

See the indication to reach Vezzano

Historical notes

The church was restored in 1990 and contains a number of fine paintings as well as six frontals in scagliola made between the 17th and the 18th century.
During restoration works a door which can be dated at least as far back as 1515 was returned to its original form. Above the door is a fine lunette with the sculpted symbols of the Da Canossa family.
A document dated 1156 refers to the Church of San Martino as being under the Parish Church of Muciatella. It was consecrated by Bishop Adelberio in the middle of the 12th century. By 1531 it was felt that restoration work was needed and during a pastoral visit by Bishop Marliani in 1664, it was reported that the church was extremely old, “listed in the official archives” and “partly in ruins”. Numerous renovation works were in fact carried out throughout the 18th century and in 1823.
The church lies at the foothill of the castle. It has an east-facing façade which follows the lines of the sloping roof and a narrow archivolt portal under a trapezoidal window. The southern wall has a sculpted architrave bearing the date 1515, with the coat of arms of the Canossa family and a monstrance. The church interior follows a Doric order and has one nave with a barrel vault. The bell tower culminates in a chamber with a mullioned window with one light surmounted by a dome resting on an octagonal tambour.