Santa Maria della Pieve

Although the exact year of its foundation remains shrouded in mystery, the history of the parish church is indelibly recorded in the empire’s official documents:

• 31 March 1037: This is the date of the first historical document in which the parish church of Cavriana officially appears, having been included by Emperor Conrad II in the official list of all parish churches belonging to the diocese of Mantua.
• Year 1110: A further fascinating testament to its historical development is engraved directly onto the material itself: a roof tile set into one of the church’s external walls clearly bears this date.

Historians speculate that the parish church may have originated as a branch of an ancient estate owned by the powerful Abbey of Leno, which stood in the immediate vicinity, confirming the spiritual and economic importance that this area held from the early Middle Ages onwards.

For centuries, the parish church (dedicated to the Immaculate Virgin Mary) represented the true centre of community and religious life in Cavriana. However, between 1423 and 1546, the parish seat was gradually transferred within the walls of the fortified village, to the new church of Santa Maria Nova.

Although it lost its status as the main parish church, the Pieve has retained its strong symbolic value over the years, remaining a venerated Marian shrine and a spiritual focal point for all the inhabitants of the area.

Built entirely of exposed terracotta bricks, the building captivates with its authenticity and the purity of its Romanesque lines:

• The Interior: A single-nave structure, the nave is surmounted by a striking and simple wooden truss roof, which lends the space an atmosphere of intimate contemplation.
• The Chancel and the High Relief: The chancel is enclosed at the rear by three splendid apses. Here is housed a sculptural work of great value dating from the 14th century: the high relief of Santa Maria Nova, in which the Virgin is depicted at the centre, surrounded by both lay and religious devotees. It is believed that the work was commissioned by the Confraternity of the Most Holy Conception, which was active in the parish church at that time.
• The Bell Tower: Unlike the original 11th-century Romanesque structure, the bell tower was erected at a later date, completing the church’s silhouette.

(Originally, the interior walls were adorned with a rich cycle of frescoes painted between the 12th and 14th centuries, of which, unfortunately, no traces remain today).