Basilica di Santa Maria di Campagna, Minor basilica in Piacenza, Italy.
The Basilica di Santa Maria di Campagna is a church with a distinctive octagonal dome rising above a Greek-cross foundation. Its geometric facade and detailed Renaissance architectural elements shape the entire structure and reveal the careful design of the era.
Construction took place between 1522 and 1528 under architect Alessio Tramello to replace an earlier sanctuary. This ambitious undertaking marked the transition from an older place of worship to a new Renaissance design.
The interior walls hold frescoes by Giovanni Antonio Sacchi showing biblical figures, while several chapels display works by Camillo Procaccini and Bernardino Gatti. These paintings are woven throughout the space, making art and worship feel inseparable to anyone walking through.
The building is usually accessible in the morning until noon and again in the afternoon, though hours change during August. Access to the dome may be limited to certain days, so it is helpful to check in advance if you plan to visit that part.
The dome contains a complete cycle of Renaissance frescoes with evangelists in the spandrels that visitors often overlook. An unexpected detail appears in the Chapel of the Magi, where figures wearing Turkish attire reveal how artists of that era depicted distant lands.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
