Church of Santa Maria in Vado (Chiesa di Santa Maria in Vado)

This church of ancient origins, famous for the miracle of the blood of Christ which took place in 1171, was rebuilt and enlarged from 1494. The design can probably be attributed to Biagio Rossetti due to the architectural layout, in the shape of a Latin cross, with three naves divided by pedestal columns, a projecting transept and dome on the transept; the chapels are reduced to wall inflections along the naves, now almost completely hidden by the rear altars, while, at the explicit request of the client, the chapels facing the transept are as deep as the side naves. The head of the transept on Via Scandiana, not far away from the Este palace of Schifanoia, is conceived as a second façade, of equal importance to the main one, of which it should have had the same design. The transept constitutes a directional structure, which ends to the south with the vault with the blood of Christ, which was purposely moved to the site during the works, and its altar. Documents attribute the design of the architectural decoration to Ercole De Roberti.

In 1594, Alfonso II d’Este commissioned the ducal architect Alessandro Balbi to build the chapel that still houses the vault, allowing the faithful to venerate it closely thanks to two side stairs leading to a gallery.

The 1570 earthquake and collapses in the 19th century damaged the church and changed part of its configuration. The paintings in the interior date to the 17th-18th centuries, although fragments of the original decoration were brought to light during restoration work in the 1990s.