Pieve del Tho

Emilia-Romagna


Located 1.6km west of town, this remarkable stone-and-brick church, the oldest in the Valle del Lamone, dates at least to the 10th century. It's perhaps most interesting for its dozen mismatched marble columns, taken from various pre-existing Roman structures after the fall of the empire in a medieval version of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

The interior is sparse, though the hand-carved 8th-century antependium (evoking Longobardo style and depicting Christ flanked by angels, crosses and lambs) is worth a look, as is the gorgeous intact Renaissance fresco of the Virgin Mary cradling the baby Jesus, who is donning a coral necklace and opening a pomegranate.


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