The Pieve di Santa Maria Assunta di Toano (also known as Santa Maria in Castello) stands as one of the most significant and best-preserved Romanesque monuments in the entire Appennino Reggiano, deeply intertwined with the history of the Matilde di Canossa dynasty. Here is a summary of its main features: Origins and the Castle: The first official record of its existence dates back to 980 AD (a diploma by Emperor Otto II). It sits atop a hill where a medieval castle once stood, offering a breathtaking panoramic view over the surrounding valleys and the iconic Pietra di Bismantova. Exterior Architecture: The church showcases a Lombard-Romanesque style of extraordinary purity and simplicity. The gabled facade is built from local golden sandstone, and the roof is covered with traditional Apennine stone slabs known as piagne. Interior and Capitals: The layout is divided into three naves. The most precious artistic elements are the sculpted capitals of the columns: they display a wide variety of styles, from Byzantine and Corinthian to the geometric patterns typical of Canossian art and medieval bestiaries featuring monsters and symbolic figures. It also houses an altar table carved from a single block of sandstone, dated 1189. Today: It is a key stop along the Via Matildica del Volto Santo, the ancient pilgrimage route connecting Mantova to Lucca. Ongoing archaeological excavations continue to reveal the ancient foundations of the castle and the medieval cemetery.
