Pieve di San Genesio, Romanesque church in San Secondo Parmense, Italy

Pieve di San Genesio is a church built in the Romanesque style with three naves, four bays, and three apses arranged in a traditional medieval plan. The interior spaces are clearly structured and display typical features of the region's sacred architecture from that era.

The first record of the church dates to 1016, when it underwent major repairs, suggesting it already existed well before; it is thought to have been founded in the 9th century by canons of the Cathedral Chapter of Parma within the court of Pariola. It is named explicitly in a document of 11 February 1084, and the title of pieve appears in 1195. In 1230 eleven chapels were under its jurisdiction, from Castell'Aicardi to Corticella de ultra Pado.

The church still displays its Romanesque character with recycled Roman bricks visible in the walls, materials that builders incorporated centuries ago. Visitors can observe these older materials and sense the layering of different periods that meet within this space.

The church sits in open countryside surrounded by fields and canals, so a car is practically necessary to visit. Access is via the provincial road toward Busseto, and it helps to check opening details before making the trip.

The church stands isolated in open countryside, surrounded by canals and fields, much as it was originally built during medieval times. This rural setting allows visitors to imagine what life and architecture looked like in that distant era.