Chiesa Parrocchiale di San Giacomo Apostolo

Cesenatico's Parish Church of San Giacomo Apostolo preserves a history reaching back to an oratory founded beside the harbour in 1324.

Why it matters

The church reflects the settled religious life of a community shaped by its port. Rebuilt in the sixteenth century and remodelled in the eighteenth, it preserves paintings associated with the artistic traditions of Romagna.

What to notice

The facade has two uneven storeys articulated by pilasters and a triangular tympanum. A single nave, raised presbytery, side niches, coffered vault and organ gallery define the interior. The painting of San Giuseppe has been attributed to Guido Cagnacci by the regional tourism portal, though the attribution is not unanimous. Other works include copies after Cagnacci, eighteenth-century paintings by Francesco Andreini and statues by Francesco Callegari.

Context and history

The first oratory, dated to 1324, was dedicated to Saints James the Apostle and Christopher. A sixteenth-century rebuilding followed as Cesenatico developed around its port. In 1763 the church took on its present form; sources differ over whether Pietro Borboni or Pietro Bastoni directed the work. The building was repaired after an 1875 earthquake and suffered severe damage during the Second World War, when the bell tower and apse were destroyed. Post-war reconstruction was followed by restoration completed in 1999.