Pieve di Codiponte

One of the most important places of worship in Lunigiana, the Church of Saints Cornelius and Cyprian in Codiponte, a suburb of Casola, stands out for its beauty and location. Situated at a crucial point for the communication roads that once connected northern Italy with the coast, its foundations show evidence that in ancient times a Roman Pagus was erected here. Rebuilt in 1100 and restructured in 1300 due to landslide damage, the church in Codiponte appears in a historic document from the end of the 8th century.

The church built entirely of stone is striking for its rectory derived from the expansion of a pre-existing tower house; the last part added to the complex was the bell tower dating from 1600.

During the restoration work numerous historic finds were discovered, including a rare dipping baptismal font. Inside the sacristy for example, a figurative portal decorated with heads and daisies, while in the nave on the right, the foundation of a defense tower was discovered, revealing the structure of a fortified church.

The three naves have two rows of columns with capitals portraying medieval beasts. A beautiful altar painting from the 15th century portrays the Madonna and Child, the Holy Face and the dedicated saints Cornelius and Cyprian.