Opening times on weekdays: from 7.00 am to 7.00 pm
Opening times on Sundays and holidays: from 7.00 am to 7.00 pm
Weekly closing day: not expected
Open all year round
The place can be reached by car
The Church San Lorenzo Martire was built around the year 1290, inside the Castle area, and it became a parish church in 1541. In 1819 the parish was transferred to the Church Madonna del Popolo, built in 1576 by will of the marquis Fabrizio Guidi di Bagno and his wife Laura Colonna, in the square facing the medieval Castle where a Chapel was dedicated to S. Maria de Lacrimis used as a shelter by travelers crossing the surrounding woodlands.
Throughout the years the Parish Church San Lorenzo received the mortal remains of many members of the noble family Guidi di Bagno di Romagna: the marquis Ferdinando Guidi di Bagno, who died in Mantova having left orders for his burial to be in the Church of Gatteo, Fabrizio Guidi di Bagno marquis of Montebello and count of Cusercoli in 1612, his wife Laura Colonna marquise of Montebello in 1633, who also founded in 1614, after her husband’s death, the Chapel of San Martino and donated several precious pieces, such as paintings, gold and sacerdotal ornaments, in honor of the Saint.
During restoration works the remains of these and many other members of the Guidi di Bagno family were placed together into the tomb of marquis Fabrizio, inside the chapel near the altar. In 1821 the old Church of San Lorenzo in the Castle was tore down and in 1847 its bell tower underwent the same fate. In 1868-1880 enlargement works began on the parish church with the building of the lateral chapels and in 1917-1919 the Church was completely restored with the rebuilding of the apse and enlargement of the nave.
In the church it is possible to admire the paintings by local painter Don Stefano Montanari (the so-called “painter priest”), who was born in Gatteo in the second half of 17th century and later moved to Rome to improve his artistic technique.
Every year on August 10, on occasion of the Festival of San Lorenzo, holy masses are celebrated in honor of San Lorenzo, Patron Saint of Gatteo.
Information about the Parish of San Lorenzo.
Entrance: free
The building is accessible to people with reduced mobility
