Abbazia di Santa Fede, Romanesque church in Cavagnolo, Italy
The Abbazia di Santa Fede is a Romanesque church in Cavagnolo built with red brick and golden sandstone walls decorated with arches and Lombard bands. The building displays numerous sculptural decorations across its facade, apse, and interior sections.
The church was built in the early 12th century and shows architectural influences from the French church of Sainte-Foy de Conques in its construction patterns. This connection to a major French pilgrimage site shaped the building's design.
The interior has three naves with six bays supported by columns, each topped with stone capitals carved with flowers and animal shapes. Visitors notice how these handcrafted details fill the sacred space as they walk through the building.
The building is straightforward to explore from the outside, as the rich decoration of the facade is clearly visible and the interior is typically open to visitors. When entering, allow time to carefully examine both the outer details and the inner structures.
The facade displays a late Romanesque brick elevation above its arcades, with a tympanum containing refined stone carvings and religious imagery. This combination of materials and craftsmanship is a rare example of Romanesque design in the region.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
