Situated in the heart of Castelpetroso, the Church of San Martino Vescovo è a treasure trove of history and art dating back to the early Middle Ages. Founded around the year 1000, the original church was built when the fortified village of Castelpetroso was just taking shape.
The present structure, dated to the mid-1200s, was built on top of it, elevated to a higher elevation and with larger dimensions than the previous one. As a result of restoration work in the last century, the wall perimeter of the primitive building has been preserved.
The church’s bell tower has been preserved.
The church bell tower, built between 1545 and 1606, è a fascinating mosaic of elements from different eras, from Roman to medieval. Inside, it houses a coeval ciborium and two bells from the 16th century, housed in a structure made from parts of the old 13th-century portal.
The Church of St. Martin the Bishop è features three naves, a typical eighteenth-century design, and despite the earthquakes of July 26, 1805, it has retained its imposing structure. Inside, it houses a series of marvelous altars dating from the 17th and 16th centuries, each with its own precious works of art, including a 17th-century image of Our Lady of the Rosary and the statue of Our Lady of Sorrows, a work by Giacomo Colombo dating from the early 1700s.
The pulpit is a typical 18th-century design.
The walnut pulpit and the seventeenth-century confessional, both located in the right aisle, are of extraordinary beauty and are part of the historical and artistic heritage of this church.