Chiesa dei Santi Fermo e Rustico

Among the vineyards on the road from Lazise to Calmasino stands the Church of Santi Fermo e Rustico. Excavations have revealed Roman and early medieval remains beneath and around the Romanesque building, making the small rural church a multi-layered archaeological site.

Why it matters

The church reflects the scattered settlement of the Lazise countryside. Its earliest documented restoration took place in 1571 and, according to the town’s cultural account, was funded by fines imposed on grape thieves. The building is now associated with the Francesco Fontana cultural association.

What to notice

The church has a single nave and a semicircular apse, identified in the state archaeological catalogue as the oldest surviving part. The catalogue records a Roman rubble-core wall and plinth, followed by an early medieval two-room building and burials. The present Romanesque church was substantially restored in 1571, giving it a Renaissance appearance. Its windows and main entrance date from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Context and history

The archaeological sequence includes Roman structures and an early medieval building with burials, followed by the Romanesque church. The 1571 restoration reshaped the building; a house for the priest was added in 1719. The church stands on the historic road toward Calmasino. Its titular saints, Firmus and Rusticus, also appear on the facade of Lazise’s parish church.