Parrocchia di Santa Maria di Castello

The church stands on the ancient fortifications of the Rovereto district, the original nucleus of the city. Built in its current form between 1476 and 1545, it is a fine example of Lombard late Gothic architecture. The brick façade is divided into three parts and embellished with a Renaissance stone portal adorned with bas-reliefs. The interior, in a Latin cross plan, is divided into three naves by cruciform pillars supporting cordoned vaults. The church boasts a rich collection of artistic works: a wooden Crucifix (15th century) attributed to Baldino di Surso; the group of ten polychrome terracotta figures entitled Lamentation over the Dead Christ, attributable to the Lombard cultural sphere of the 16th century; and the 17th-century wooden choir. The masonry remains of two older religious buildings are open to visitors: an early medieval hall church with a large apse (8th-9th century) and a second church with a tri-apse layout from the Carolingian era (11th century). To the left of the church lies the cloister (15th-16th century), whose refectory houses a large Crucifixion, a 1520 fresco by Timoteo da Vercelli. Open: Monday 10:00-12:00, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 15:30-18:30, Friday 8:30-10:30, Saturday before Mass 18:30, Sunday before Mass 10:00 and 21:00. Opening hours are subject to change (please check the links below).