Discover Vescovato: Church, Fountain and Landscape

Vescovato lies on a rocky ridge bordered by two rivers. Your stay can focus on a range of themes: the architectural history of the parish church of Saint-Martin, sacred art, the fountain in the square, and a circular walk above the village. When planning, you can decide whether you are more interested in church history, local art, or the landscape.

Church History and Sacred Art

According to historical research, the parish church of Saint-Martin was built in the 11th century. It was extended in 1380 and altered again in the 15th century. From 1440 to 1570, Saint-Martin served as the pro-cathedral of the Diocese of Mariana. The chronology thus runs from its construction through later changes to a church function that lasted for a clearly defined period.

The Baroque church of Vescovato has a bell tower. Behind its Neoclassical façade are three richly decorated naves and a richly adorned high altar. The building thus combines a Baroque layout with a Neoclassical façade. To appreciate the architecture, it is useful to distinguish between the exterior and the interior: the façade, naves, and high altar are different parts of the church.

The high altar tabernacle in the parish church of Saint-Martin features a relief of the Resurrection. Niches contain Saint Martin, the Virgin and Child, Saint Paul, and Saint Peter. The tabernacle thus combines a relief of the Resurrection with four named figures. It was formerly attributed to the 17th century and comes from the destroyed former cathedral of Mariana. The tabernacle is classified as a protected object; this protection was recorded on March 16, 1908.

Another cultural reference is the Santa-Croce brotherhood of Vescovato, which is associated with religious rites and songs during the Easter cycle. In addition to architectural and art history, religious practice and singing connected with the Easter cycle are also cultural themes here.

Fountain and Nature

La fontaine à l’aigle is a new cast-iron fountain in Vescovato’s square. The first written references in the municipal archives to the possibility of a fountain in the square date from 1862. The square thus connects the named fountain with an older written record of the possibility of installing a fountain.

The Mucchiatana Natura 2000 site is another nature-related theme. It includes coastal lagoons and Mediterranean salt meadows of the Juncetalia maritimi alliance, which are listed as habitats. The lagoons and salt meadows are two different habitat types; the technical term specifies the classification of the salt meadows. Alongside the description of the rocky ridge, the focus thus also includes specific habitats.

Circular Walk from Vescovato

The Chemin muletier de Vescovato offers another focus for outdoor activity. This 4.2-kilometre circular walk starts in Vescovato and follows an old mule track above the village. The themes also differ in format: the church and fountain relate to architectural and local history, while the Chemin muletier is a specific route. As trail conditions can change, check the route’s current condition before setting out.

Discover more destinations: San-Nicolao, Tallone, Monticello, Speloncato, Canari, Calvi, Piana, Orneto.

For the regional travel overview: Haute-Corse.