A marquis had the entrance of this church turned round so that it faced his castle. It was Nicolò Clavesana who wanted the door moved to the east, and the works lasted a dozen years. It is not a liturgical choice: it is a declaration of ownership, and whoever came out of mass found the lord's house in front of them.
What to see
A place of worship perhaps existed as early as the year one thousand, but no trace of it remains. The present building is mentioned in 1392. In 1440 a local man, Giovanni Bonfante, founded a chaplaincy under the community's patronal right at the altar of saint Catherine; six years later the Clavesana founded theirs at the Rosary altar, where the family tomb stood.
The church was restored several times by the marquises, who made it a family affair. The interior has a single nave, with a deep presbytery and six side altars, and keeps its baroque style with a plain front. Among the works are a painting of saint Martin and the black stone font, from the hands of the master stonecutters of Cenova.
Visiting
The church is at Rezzo, in the upper Argentina valley, in the hinterland of Imperia; it is a parish church and opens for services. Twenty minutes.
Our editors' tip
Look at the font and find the Clavesana arms carved in the black stone. The font is the object in which every child of the village became a Christian: by putting their arms on it, a family made sure that every baptism in Rezzo took place under its symbol. Few assertions of power are cheaper or more effective.