Pieve di San Giorgio

The Pieve di San Giorgio is Vigoleno's Romanesque church, built in local grey-gold stone. Its sculpted portal and painted apse connect the medieval village with the wider artistic traditions of Emilia.

Why it matters

The church's architecture and decoration developed across several centuries. Romanesque sculpture stands alongside later frescoes and heraldic signs of the families associated with the borgo.

What to notice

Two supporting figures flank the portal beneath a lunette of Saint George slaying the dragon, attributed to the school of Benedetto Antelami. Inside, round arches divide three aisles. Carved details include a two-tailed mermaid, while a later image of Saint Benedict bears an inscription dated 1427. The central apse contains a fifteenth-century Saint George freeing the princess and a Coronation of the Virgin.

Context and history

Construction began around the middle of the twelfth century, and the church gained autonomy from Castell'Arquato in 1223. The Scotti arms recall the family's later lordship. Subsequent furnishings include a wooden Annunciation by Paolo Perotti, adding modern sculpture to the building's medieval and Renaissance layers.