The church of San Pietro, in Cento, goes back to the thirteenth century and is among the oldest in the municipal territory; it belongs to the vicariate of Cento in the archdiocese of Bologna. In the second half of the sixteenth century it was entrusted to the Franciscans and enlarged; at the beginning of the seventeenth century it was given its bell tower, and at the end of the century the whole structure was raised. In 1749 it ceased to be a parish seat and became subsidiary to the church of Santi Sebastiano e Rocco; restored in 1843, in 1878 it passed to the State. It returned to church ownership, and became a parish again, in 1915.
What to see
The façade is gabled, of exposed brick, and has in front a plastered portico of five wide bays. The bell tower stands apart, set back; on the right side is the rectory. The interior is divided into a nave and two aisles.
The church used to hold three altarpieces by Guercino, the painter born in Cento. Two are now elsewhere: the St Francis in Ecstasy with St Benedict and an Angel is in the Louvre, the St Bernardino of Siena Praying to Our Lady of Loreto is in the civic picture gallery of Cento.
Visiting
Between 1982 and 2009 the church underwent a long conservation restoration; then the Emilia earthquake of 2012 damaged it and made a new restoration and consolidation necessary. Before going it is worth checking with the parish whether it is open and at what times.
Our editors' tip
To see one of the altarpieces painted for San Pietro you do not need to go to Paris: Guercino's St Bernardino of Siena has stayed in town, at the civic picture gallery. There too it is worth asking about opening beforehand.
