We were just on the way home after a whole day strolling around in the Montefeltro area in the Northern Marche/Italy. And then I saw this little church along the road. I took a turn and drove back.
The tiny church is a little jewel without any particular sign. The peace was the most impressive here as there is nearly no traffic on the road.
We entered the tiny church which is called Pieve San Giovanni Battista of Carpegna.
Carpegna is a municipality in the province of Pesaro Urbino and situated at the ‘border’ to the region Emilia-Romagna. The Monte Carpegna nearby is – with nearly 1.500 m high – in winter a ski resort and in summer an ideal place for hiking. Thanks also to the Simoncello regional park.
We were in this area because there are a few sights to see, especially castles my friend I was with liked to visit.
The word ‘Pieve’ refers to the Latin word ‘plebs’, a religious community. It doesn’t seem so but for more than a 1.000 years this church was the main church for the people of Carpegna, Pietrarubia and Montecopiolo (a pretty vaste area when looking around. People walked at those times…!) During this long period the church suffered from fires, earthquakes and the passing of time and was restored many times. But the original building structure, the inscriptions and archaeological traces are still original.
The church was mentioned already in the bull of Pope Onorio II in 1125. Later it had a Romanesque restoration. Gothic is seen in the nave’s triple lancet windows and several arch doors (you recognize Gothic by this architecture). There are some inscriptions of the period as well.
In the XVI and XVII century there was another great reconstruction with a larger inner nave, an open gallery with columns as access to the rectory and the arcade front of the façade. The latest restoration was only 15 years ago.
It doesn’t take you long to see this place but you want to stay for a while, relax, listen to the birds singing, forget the world and dive into peace.
I think it is always great to stop when one sees something along the way, not programmed and maybe not even signed. Just stop and have a look. Often you find a real jewel, something that gives you an unexpected moment.
Carpegna, Le Marche/Italy:
For further information:
Montefeltro Tourism website (in Italian)
