Parish church of Santi Pietro e Paolo

The Parish Church of Santi Pietro e Paolo, located in the heart of Toscolano, is a monument of great historic and artistic value, built on the remains of an older parish church in 1584. The façade, completed in the 17th century, stands out for its austerity, enhanced by sculpted and architectural details of great beauty, including the statues of St Peter and two angels, as well as elaborate marble columns, the two main ones being built from the ruins of the nearby Roman villa.

Inside, the church is an extraordinary art gallery, thanks to its numerous canvases by Andrea Celesti, eminent Venetian painter, active between the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Celesti’s works, which decorate the church interior, skilfully narrate the most important episodes in the lives of saints Peter and Paul, taking visitors on a journey through the holy scriptures and the history of the church. The artist has left his mark on the frescoes that decorate the arch over the apse and presbytery, and works that are so majestic that they have been called the “Celesti’s Sistine Chapel".

As well as the frescos and canvases, the church is also home to numerous tombstones in the floor, belonging to important local families in Toscolano’s history between the 16th and 17th centuries. These stones not only add another layer of historic and artistic interest to a visit, but they also offer an intimate gaze at the lives and deaths of people with influence over the local community in past centuries.

The Church of Santi Pietro e Paolo is not only a place of worship; it is also a place where art, history and spirituality come together, making it an essential stage in a visit to Toscolano. With its wealth of art and deep historic roots, this church continues to be a beacon of faith and culture in the community.

 

Calculate the route

Logo del Comune di Toscolano Maderno