Pieve di Cento, Italian comune
Pieve di Cento is a small town near Bologna in Emilia-Romagna that sits along the Reno river. Its center features the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, which holds works by artists such as Guercino and Guido Reni, along with covered porticoes and narrow streets that follow a medieval layout.
Pieve di Cento grew around a medieval parish church with a baptistery and received its official name in 1378 from a bishop of Bologna. It was ruled by Bologna, the Este family of Ferrara, and later the Papal States before becoming part of unified Italy in 1861.
The name Pieve di Cento comes from the medieval term Pieve, which refers to a parish church with a baptistery. The covered porticoes that line the streets, reminiscent of Bologna, create sheltered walkways where locals spend their daily lives and gather.
The town is best explored on foot and is easily reached from Bologna by bus. The covered porticoes offer shelter from sun and rain, making a relaxed walk through the streets comfortable in most weather.
The town center preserves the rectangular layout of an ancient Roman camp, which sets it apart from other medieval villages. Visitors can still recognize this ancient structure in the current arrangement of the streets and central square.
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