Parish church of Santa Maria Annunziata and San Biagio

The ancient Parish Church of Santa Maria Annunziata and San Biagio, in Sala Bolognese, is one of the most interesting Romanesque-Lombard architectural style buildings of the whole Pianura Bolognese. The basilica dates back to 1096 and was restored to its original form in 1920. 

The parish church has a beautiful facade, characterized by a mullioned window with a cubic capital, embellished by Byzantine carvings. At the sides of the entrance, there are two memorial stones: the older recalls the construction of the Church in 1096 on the remains of a PalaeoChristian temple, and the other, more modern, the restoration carried out in 1920.

At the back, the major apse is the best preserved of the three and is embellished by a 12th-century blind gallery, the most interesting architectural element of the building. It is in fact the only such example in a Romanesque building in the Province of Bologna.

On the right-hand side, there is the bell-tower, built in 1926, with a chapel dedicated to the Fallen of the two World Wars.

The interior of the church follows the layout of a basilica, with three naves divided by columns with unadorned selenite capitals. A large central staircase leads to the presbytery, where there is the high altar.

On the surface of the altar, there is the carved head of a pagan divinity with ram’s horns, perhaps a representation of the Celtic god Kernunnos. This pagan altar, which became Christia with an exorcism of a cross carved into the stone, documents the end of the pagan period and the passage to Christianity of the ancient population of the area.

A notable element is the seal with the eagle of the Svevi Empire on the parapet of the pulpit.

The crypt below the presbytery, mostly restored, is undoubtedly the most atmospheric part of the basilica.

Near the entrance, an ancient immersion-bath for baptisms in red marble from Verona is preserved.

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