Castel San Giovanni: Church Art, Liberty and Val Tidone

Castel San Giovanni lies west of the city along the route of the ancient consular road Via Postumia, on the border with Lombardy, and forms the gateway to the Val Tidone. This makes it a place where cultural interests, regional events and cycling routes through the valley can be considered as different travel priorities. Its location is just as defining as its historic buildings and its chocolate- and plant-related themes.

Church Art from Several Centuries

The Collegiate Church of San Giovanni Battista houses a crucifix by Giacomo and Giovan Angelo del Maino dating from 1496. It also contains a carved polyptych from 1448, attributed to Bongiovanni and Giovanni Bassiano de Lupis. A polyptych is a multi-panel altarpiece. Within the same church, the two works provide you with two specific historical reference points and demonstrate different forms of sacred art.

The Church of San Rocco preserves traces of 15th-century frescoes as well as two valuable wooden statues attributed to Jan Hermansz Geernaert. It clearly dates from the 15th century and was restored in 1923. Santa Maria in Torricella is a typical Renaissance church and is also known as Chiesa della Torricella or Chiesa dei Sacchi. This makes its furnishings, attributions and architectural history equally tangible for your cultural itinerary.

Architecture in the Townscape

Liberty architecture from the early 20th century can still be seen along the central streets of Castel San Giovanni. In Italy, Liberty refers to a form of Art Nouveau and helps you place this architectural feature in context. The building housing the Teatro Verdi dates from the 19th century. As a result, the townscape brings together architectural evidence from different decades, which can be connected thematically on a stroll.

Orientation between Park and Museum

The entrance to the Ethnographic Museum of the Tidone Valley is located via the park of Villa Braghieri. If you plan to visit this museum, the park of Villa Braghieri is therefore the specific reference point for the entrance.

Chocolate, Plants and Events

At Cioccolandia, maître chocolatiers come together to give visitors demonstrations of chocolate making. The Cioccolandia fair takes place on the second weekend of November in the main streets of Castel San Giovanni. Floravilla features professional meetings, sales stands run by producers and advice on dealing with plant diseases.

Routes through the Tidone Valley

The cycling route through the Tidone Valley runs along cycle paths, minor roads and individual sections of provincial and state roads. For your planning, it is therefore important to note that the route does not use just one type of road. Together with access to the Val Tidone, this creates a clear regional framework for travellers who would like to include a ride through the valley alongside churches and urban architecture.

Discover More Places

More destinations for your travel planning: Monticelli D'ongina, Rodi, Vigolzone, Fiorenzuola Dʼarda, Roveleto, Morfasso, Bobbio, Croce.

To the main travel overview: Piacenza.