Church

In the early years of the fourteenth century, the bishop of Verona, count and citizen of Monteforte, erected on the hill of the ancient castle a small church dedicated to Saint Anthony the Abbot, once a miraculous saint, but later became the protector of livestock and agriculture.

The building was a private oratory of the bishop, and materials from the demolition of the castle, which had fallen into ruin after losing its defensive function some time ago, were used for its construction.

The church was remodeled on the outside in 1537, as evidenced by the date inscribed on the stone architrave of the side door.

Around the mid-seventeenth century, the current Baroque main altar was erected, flanked by statues of Saint Anthony of Padua and Saint Bonaventure. It replaced a previous wooden altar that was now decaying.

In the nineteenth century, the sacristy was built, which actually served as a meeting place for the Company of the Good Death, whose members felt the need to be undisturbed during their meetings in church by the presence of the faithful.

The most valuable work of art in the small church is the Black Christ, a large crucifix carved from boxwood in 1500, now restored and moved to the parish church of Monteforte, where it can be admired. A statue of the Madonna of Loreto, once located in the sacristy, has disappeared in recent years.

The bell tower is equipped with two bells, one of which was cast by the Veronese Giuseppe Ruffini in 1778. After World War I, on September 28, 1924, the hill of Saint Anthony became the Park of Remembrance.