SCUOLA PRIMARIA “S.

GIOVANNI BOSCO “
Anno scolastico 2007/08
Secondo itinerario: LA PIEVE DI S. MARIA DI CASCINA

ENGLISH VERSION

Welcome! We are in Cascina, in the centre of this ancient city.

Look at the Pieve,lin front of you.
It has been mentioned for the first time in a parchment in 750 A. C.
It became a Pieve in 876 A. C.
The Pieve, as it appears now, has been built between 1000 and 1100 A. C.

We dont’ know who was the architect that made its project.
The Pieve is next to another little church: the Holy Sacrament’ s Chapel.

The facade turns to west.

The apse turns to east.
For a chistian, going into a church is like a passage from darkness to Christ, lux mundi.

The Pieve’s map is similar to a ship, turned to Jerusalem.

Please, pay attention to these details: this huge portal, gli archi ciechi, le lesene, gli oculi
luciferi, una bifora.
You can also notice some losanghe gradonate in the arcade.
They ate made of marble and slate.

Under the roof’s frames, you can see some decorations: there are flowers and a sculpture
that represents a human head.

THE INTERIOR OF S. MARIA’S PARISH

The parish is dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta and San Giovanni.

The building was built between XI(eleventh) and XII (twelveth) centuries, in Romanesque-
Pisan style. Then it was restored: in 1795(seventeen-ninetyfive) and 1849 (eighteen-
fortynine). The church has a Basilican plant, with a nave and two aisles and a central apse.
Over the arcades you can see the typical windows with 1 hole (MONOFORA) but they were
modified because of the ceiling. Even the floor it is not the original one...
THE COLUMNS
The columns you see, maybe come from ancient roman buildings; they are made up of grey
and red granite – for the shaft – and marble for capitals and bases. They are different so
they were adapted according to the structure. As you can see, the columns support round
arcades.

Our Lady with the Belt

This is a statue of the Virgin in baked clay; it is a masterpiece of Benedetto da Maiano (he
was a famous sculptor in Florence in XV century).
A popular tradion says that when a woman give birth to a baby, she was used to donate the
better belt she had, as thanksgiving.

The ACQUASANTIERA
This is a holy water stoup of the XII century; it is made up of marble. You can see a RAM and
a LAMB on it.. In medieval age they were symbols: the ram represents the wickedness (Evil)
and the Lamb is the goodness (Christ).

CAPPELLA DEL SS. SACRAMENTO

This is the Holy Sacrament Chapel in late baroque style; is communicating with the parish. In
the past it was separated from the parish by a cemetery. Inside the Chapel is an interesting
painting of S. Caterina da Siena nursing the sick people. XVII (seventeenth) century
Thank you for coming and visiting our churches; we hope you appreciate our exposition

It is the more ancient in Cascina’s area because it already existed as a parish in 750.
The front of the church is made up by five arches downside, and three upside.
It preserves esteemed works, such as a XIV century fresco representing a Madonna with
Child, a XVI century Virgin in baked clay, and a holy water stoup of the XII century.