Pieve di San Martino

The early plebeian church, dedicated to St. Martin bishop of Tours, was built in the Longobard era. The temple of St. Martin underwent substantial functional and architectural changes over the centuries, clearly highlighted during the recent restoration works. The entire territory of Pasturana, together with Novi Ligure, Fresonara and others, was donated by Emperor Ottone I and by his wife Adelaide to the monastery of S. Salvatore of Pavia, around 970. The plebeian church of Pasturana, which had jurisdiction over Tassarolo and other centres, remained under the diocese of Tortona until the mid-13th century when Pope Innocent IV, with his bull dated 3 June 1248, authorised its passage to the diocese of Genoa. The 14th century marked the inexorable decline of the plebeian institution of Pasturana which, later, reduced to simple parish church, moved under the jurisdiction of the church of Gavi. The new landowners of Pasturana, the Trotti family from Milan, wished to leave a tangible sign on the place and to do this they promised to reconstruct a new parish church. Fallen into oblivion for centuries, the ancient church, still called “la pieve”, has returned to its former splendour, following recent restoration work. The building, the result of numerous modifications and renovations, has, after restoration, four brick pillars on each side which correspond to four wooden trusses. The walls, which enclose the space between the pillars, are made partly with bricks and river stone, partly with the “pisè” technique. The rear is characterised by the presence of three arches made of unfired brick. The interior is bare and essential and has a single nave.