An extraordinary architectural and pictorial jewel
The building we admire today was built in 1562 on the express wish of Duke Vespasiano Gonzaga, who entrusted the project to Pietro Martire Pesenti, known as “the Sabbioneta”. In 1585 the work on the apse was completed and in 1592 the first bell tower was completed. Duke Vespasiano was unable to see this last work completed, because he died in 1591. In the vast construction site of the Church of the Assumption Alongside many local artists, there are also prominent figures such as Bernardino Campi and some of his collaborators.
The chapel of Antonio Galli Bibiena
Each century, up to the present day, has left its mark, while still preserving the original architectural structure intact. No trace of the sixteenth-century decoration remains, as the interior was completely renovated in late Baroque style in 1767. Among the most significant and unique interventions is the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, designed by Antonio Galli Bibiena. The octagonal chapel features a spectacular double dome, the inner one perforated. The new bell tower was also built in the same years. The last intervention, in 1926, involved the creation of the baptistery with direct access to the square, created from a side chapel of the church.
