The Parish Church of Santa Maria Assunta dates back to the beginning of the 11th century. It was rebuilt in Gothic style between the end of the 14th and the beginning of the 15th century, but only a few elements of the original building remain today, such as the terracotta friezes decorating the entrance portal. The current structure has a central nave with two side aisles and segmental vaults, preceded by a portico with three arches. In the choir loft above the entrance, there is a Traeri organ, dating back to the late 18th century, which has been restored several times. The chancel houses the high altar, embellished with a polychrome scagliola frontal attributed to Fra' Felice Gianelli. The painting on the apse wall depicting the Assumption of Mary is the work of Professor Minghetti. It was originally designed as a banner, but it was later adapted for the altarpiece in 1904. The historical value of the building is further enhanced by the three sundials located outside: the one on the façade of the rectory is one of the finest examples in the region. The other two, visible on the south façade of the church, include a rare ‘italic’ sundial and another “French-style” sundial, the latter dating back to 1827. The rectory, built in 1670 by the Rector of Arceto, Don Rocco Pellegrinetti, is an extraordinary example of rural architecture. It was built with small stones from the nearby Tresinaro river. It initially consisted of four rooms divided by a two-storey central hallway. In 1673, an external staircase was added with an elegant loggia with seven side arches. Subsequently, in 1840, a second building was added to the structure, enclosing the loggia. Inside, the rectory features exquisite pictorial decorations that enrich the walls and vaults.

The church is located in the hamlet of Arceto (about 3 km far from Scandiano).

How to get to Scandiano

By car: From the A1 motorway - Milan, exit at Reggio Emilia. Follow the road signs for “Reggio Emilia Centro”, “Sassuolo”, and “Scandiano”.

From the A1 motorway - Bologna, exit at the Modena-Nord, take the Via Emilia towards Milan, and follow the road signs for “Reggio Emilia”, “Rubiera”, and “Scandiano”.

By train: From both the north and south, get off at Reggio Emilia station, then take the local train on the Reggio Emilia-Sassuolo line, or you can take the bus (for information: www.actre.it).

By plane: From Bologna Airport (www.bologna-airport.it), take the train to Reggio Emilia, and from there, take the local train to Scandiano or the A1 motorway. From Milan Airport (www.sea-aeroportimilano.it), take the train to Reggio Emilia, or the A1 motorway.

Scandiano is only a few kilometers from many cities in northern and central Italy: 60km from Bologna, 35 from Parma, 20 from Modena, 13 from Reggio Emilia, 180 from the Adriatic Riviera, 160 from Milan, 90 from Ferrara, 155 from Florence, 75 from Mantua, 100 from Piacenza, 95 from Verona.