Santa Maria Maggiore, Parish church in Pieve di Cento, Italy

Santa Maria Maggiore is the Baroque parish church of Pieve di Cento, built between 1702 and 1710 to designs by the Modenese brothers Silvestro and Giuseppe Campiotti. Its facade carries six statues of Saints Rocco, Isaiah, Luke, Joseph, Sebastian and Fabian, made in the Veronese workshop of the Guidottini and set in their niches in 1708. The Romanesque bell tower, topped by a slender spire, was rebuilt after its collapse in 1483.

The first pieve was founded in the 8th century and held jurisdiction over the churches of Cento and Poggetto, though it appears in documents only from 29 April 1207. In the 14th century the apse was rebuilt in Gothic polygonal form, and in 1378 Cento became an autonomous parish with its own baptismal font. After a 1483 bell tower collapse, the church was rebuilt between 1487 and 1488; the present building by Silvestro and Giuseppe Campiotti was erected between 1702 and 1710.

The bell tower holds four bells cast in 1809 by Riatti of Reggio Emilia, hung on a wooden frame and rung only by hand. The local Congregazione dei Campanari climbs the tower on major feast days to play the "doppio alla bolognese" and the "a trave" technique with "ribattute", a style of the Po plain. The concert is tuned to the first four degrees of the diatonic scale, the only such "grado" tuning in the diocese.

Access to the interior is possible, but opening hours are limited and can vary by season. It is helpful to check with local information sources to learn when the church is open to visitors.

The bell tower, rebuilt after its collapse in 1483, holds four bells cast in 1809 by Riatti of Reggio Emilia, tuned to the first four degrees of the diatonic scale. Local volunteers of the Congregazione dei Campanari ring them by hand on major feast days, practising the "doppio alla bolognese" and the "a trave" technique with "ribattute".