Montichiari, Pieve di San Pancrazio

Recent restoration works indicated with no doubt that the Church of San Pancrazio was erected on the foundations of a pre-existing Roman building. The first document of the city was a Papal bull dated 1172, followed by others through the year 1197; it is probably in this period that the construction of the church took place.
During World War I, the church was used as a military camp, but this seriously damaged the interior frescoes.
The church dominates the place from the top of a hill, a position which stresses its austere aspect: massive walls, with squared blocks, grey, with few openings and almost totally lacking decorations. In the hut-shaped façade only a very simple portal opens, without any splays, with an ogival arch, two round windows, under the slopes and one double lancet window in the central part. The only coloured parts are the arched lintels of the portal and of the windows, as well as the column of the double lancet window which is made of white stone. The sides are crossed by a series of narrow single lancet windows without decorations. The side naves have been re-built, whilst the central apse was left intact and shows a series of small arches in its upper part, whose bases are sculpted with geometrical designs and human heads and are divided in pairs by some pilasters. The interior is divided in three naves, resting on columns and cross-like pillars, alternately. The presbytery is significantly lifted, with no traces of any crypt. To build the church, Roman materials were used: on the basement of the first column to the right of the presbytery, two busts are sculpted wearing a tunic; the excellently sculpted face of the female figure is still well preserved. Of the frescoes that were painted in the church between the 13th and 14th century, only a few traces are left. The bell tower, set against the apse, dates back to 1693.