Complex of the Church of Misericordia in Boveglio
Three adjacent sacred buildings that introduce the small village of Boveglio
Boveglio is a small village in the hill, at an altitude of 700 metres, between the Pizzorne Plateau and Mount Battifolle, in Villa Basilica.
Climbing from Colognora Valleriana, we meet a complex of religious buildings formed by the Church of Saints Jacopo and Ginese, the Bell Tower and the Oratory of Misericordia.
The Romanesque church has a three-nave structure divided by pillars, and already existed in 1086 when it is remembered as a baptismal church. Inside, the most important work is a Romanesque baptismal font, hexagonal, with marble panels, housed in a chapel in the left side. There is also a tabernacle in marble for the holy oils attributed to Matteo Civitali and two large carved benches of 1660 with inlays and the coat of arms with the symbols of Saints Jacopo and Ginesio. Two paintings, one is on the high altar, attributed to the 19th century, which depict the Madonna with Child, and the organ dating back to 1771, complete the interior decoration of the Church.
The adjacent bell tower is about 30 metres high starting from a truncated-pyramid base. It is characterised by eight two-light windows outlined by pairs of columns and pillars which are very reminiscent of those of the bell tower of the nearby Colognora, due to their conclusion with Romanesque capitals.
The Oratory of Misericordia, which has one façade with an 18th-century Madonna in white marble, is the last sacred building of this triptych. Built in 1685, it has an altar topped by a triumph in bardiglio dark marble and white marble.
This complex of religious buildings bears witness to the rich and age-old history of Boveglio: the first document that refers to it is a parchment from Lucca dating back to 757 AD. Boveglio is a small hidden gem, gathered around this complex, where time seems to have stopped.
