Church of saints Francesco and Lucia

In a testamentary document from 1279, the church of Saints Francis and Lucy is mentioned for the first time, which was then rebuilt in the first half of the 14th century, under the patronage of the Municipality which, although entrusting its custody and execution to the Friars Minor Conventual, considered it “Ecclesia Communis” and used it as “second Town Hall”. The General Council and Parliament met there. The voting case and a cabinet containing the most important municipal documents were kept there. Official religious celebrations were held in which the Administrators participated in official dress.

Originally, the church was built as a single hall and, in later times, was enlarged on the right side and four chapels built. Inside the church there was a shop where the municipality, under a monopoly, sold salt and, on the external walls of the church, hung the various measures available to the public. In the 19th century, the church and the Convent underwent the events resulting from the suppression of the Regular Religious Orders, first at the time of the Napoleonic Kingdom and then at the time of the unification of Italy. In 1881 Mayor Antonioli wanted to transform the church into a covered market. The citizens opposed it, halting much of the project: the church was stripped of its initial part to make room for a portico on the façade and on the left side, intended to accommodate the market. Inside the church, the remains of the patron saint, Saint Gaudenzio, are preserved in a chapel dedicated to him and entirely frescoed with scenes from his life painted by Filippo Bellini da Urbino. Of notable value are the canvases in the side altars painted by Francesco Maratta, Marco Benefial, Federico Barocci and Ercole Ramazzani.