In Italy in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

, a ''pieve'' (, ; ; : ''pievi'') was a rural church with a

baptistery In Church architecture, Christian architecture the baptistery or baptistry (Old French ''baptisterie''; Latin ''baptisterium''; Greek language, Greek , 'bathing-place, baptistery', from , baptízein, 'to baptize') is the separate centrally planned ...

, upon which other churches without baptisteries depended. ''Pieve'' is also an Italian and Corsican term signifying the medieval ecclesiastical/administrative territory of its the mother church. It has thus become a common component of both place names and of the names of churches. The

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

word is descended from

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

plebs In ancient Rome, the plebeians or plebs were the general body of free Roman citizens who were not patricians, as determined by the census, or in other words "commoners". Both classes were hereditary. Etymology The precise origins of the gro ...

'' which, after the expansion of Christianity in Italy, was applied to the community of baptized people. Many ''pievi'' began to appear in the 5th century, as Christianity expanded in the rural areas outside the main cities. In the 9th-10th centuries, they were often designed with

bell tower A bell tower is a tower that contains one or more bells, or that is designed to hold bells even if it has none. Such a tower commonly serves as part of a Christian church, and will contain church bells, but there are also many secular bell to ...

Churches in Italy

Churches in Italy described as a pieve include: * Pieve di Sant'Andrea in

Buggiano Buggiano is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pistoia in the Italian region Tuscany, located about northwest of Florence and about southwest of Pistoia. Main sights *Sanctuary of the Holy Crucifix (18th century) * Pieve di Sant'And ...

, Province of Pistioa, Tuscany *

Pieve di Sant'Andrea (Pistoia) Sant'Andrea (''Pieve di Sant'Andrea'') is a church in Pistoia, Tuscany, central Italy that served as a pieve or place that congregations from surrounding village churches use for baptism. It is dedicated to St. Andrew the Apostle, and includes th ...

, in Pistoia, Province of Pistioa, Tuscany

Places in Italy

Places in Italy called Pieve include: *

Città della Pieve Città della Pieve is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Perugia in the Italian region Umbria, located in Valdichiana a few kilometres from the border between Umbria and Tuscany, and about southwest of Perugia and southeast of Chiusi ...

, a commune in the Province of Perugia, Umbria *

Pieve a Nievole Pieve a Nievole is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pistoia in the Italian region Tuscany, located about northwest of Florence and about southwest of Pistoia. Pieve a Nievole borders the following municipalities: Monsummano Ter ...

, a commune in the Province of Pistoia, Tuscany * Pieve Albignola, a commune in the Province of Pavia, Lombardy *

Pieve d'Alpago Alpago is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Belluno in the Italy, Italian region of Veneto. It is located about north of Venice and about east of Belluno. Lago di Santa Croce is located near Alpago. It was established on 23 Februar ...

, a commune in the Province of Belluno, Veneto *

Pieve del Cairo Pieve del Cairo is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region of Lombardy, located about 60 km southwest of Milan and about 30 km southwest of Pavia Pavia ( , ; ; ; ; ) is a town and comune of south-wes ...

, a commune in the Province of Pavia, Lombardy *

Pieve di Bono Pieve di Bono () is a ''frazione'' of the commune of Pieve di Bono-Prezzo, in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, northern Italy, located about southwest of Trento Trento ( or ; Ladin language, Ladin and ; ; ; ; ; ), also known in English a ...

, a commune in the Province of Trento, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol *

Pieve di Cadore Pieve di Cadore is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of Belluno in the Italian region of Veneto, about north of Venice and about northeast of Belluno. "Pieve" means "Parish church". It is the birthplace of the Italian painter Titian. ...

, a commune in the Province of Belluno, Veneto *

Pieve di Cento Pieve di Cento ( Bolognese: ; "parish of Cento") is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Bologna in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about north of Bologna. History The origins of the town date back to the upper ...

, a commune in the Province of Bologna, Emilia-Romagna *

Pieve di Coriano Pieve di Coriano is a ''frazione'' of Borgo Mantovano in the Province of Mantua in the Italian region Lombardy, located about southeast of Milan and about southeast of Mantua Mantua ( ; ; Lombard language, Lombard and ) is a ''comune'' (mu ...

, a commune in the Province of Mantua, Lombardy * Pieve di Ledro, a former commune in the Province of Trento, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol * Pieve di Livinallongo, seat of the commune of

Livinallongo del Col di Lana Livinallongo del Col di Lana (; ; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Belluno in the Italy, Italian region Veneto, located about north of Venice and about northwest of Belluno. Ninety percent of the population speak Ladin l ...

in the Province of Belluno, Veneto *

Pieve di Soligo Pieve di Soligo is a town in the province of Treviso, near the border with the province of Belluno in Veneto, Italy. , its had 11,544 inhabitants. "Pieve" means "Parish church". Pieve di Soligo borders with the following municipalities: Cison di ...

, a commune in the Province of Treviso, Veneto *

Pieve di Teco Pieve di Teco () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Imperia, in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about northwest of Imperia. Pieve di Teco borders the following municipalities: Armo, Aurigo, B ...

, a commune in the Province of Imperia, Liguria *

Pieve d'Olmi Pieve d'Olmi ( Cremunés: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Cremona in the Italian region Lombardy, located about southeast of Milan and about southeast of Cremona Cremona ( , , ; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in norther ...

, a commune in the Province of Cremona, Lombardy *

Pieve Emanuele Pieve Emanuele ( ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Italian region of Lombardy, located about south of Milan, and about north of Pavia. Pieve Emanuele borders the following municipalities: Rozzano, Opera, Locate di Triulzi, Basiglio, Lacc ...

, a commune in the Province of Milan, Lombardy *

Pieve Fissiraga Pieve Fissiraga ( Lodigiano: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Lodi in the Italian region Lombardy, located about southeast of Milan and about south of Lodi. Pieve Fissiraga borders the following municipalities: Lodi, Lodi Ve ...

, a commune in the Province of Lodi, Lombardy *

Pieve Fosciana Pieve Fosciana is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Lucca in the Italian region Tuscany, located about northwest of Florence and about north of Lucca. Pieve Fosciana borders the following municipalities: Camporgiano, Castelnuovo d ...

, a commune in the Province of Lucca, Tuscany *

Pieve Ligure Pieve Ligure (, locally ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Genoa in the Italian region Liguria, located about southeast of Genoa. The ''pieve'' of St. Michael Archangel, from which the town takes its name, has been rebui ...

, a commune in the Province of Genoa, Liguria *

Pieve Porto Morone Pieve Porto Morone is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Pavia in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 45 km southeast of Milan and about 25 km southeast of Pavia. Pieve Porto Morone borders the following municipalities ...

, a commune in the Province of Pavia, Lombardy *

Pieve San Giacomo Pieve San Giacomo ( Cremunés: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Cremona, Lombardy, Italy. It is located about southeast of Milan and about east of Cremona. Pieve San Giacomo borders the following municipalities: Cappella de' ...

, a commune in the Province of Cremona, Lombardy *

Pieve Santo Stefano Pieve Santo Stefano is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Arezzo in the Italian region Tuscany, located in the Valtiberina about east of Florence and about northeast of Arezzo. Pieve Santo Stefano borders the following municipaliti ...

, a commune in the Province of Arezzo, Tuscany *

Pieve Tesino Pieve Tesino (''La Piève'' in local dialect) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about east of Trento. Pieve Tesino borders the following municipalities: Tesero, Pan ...

, a commune in the Province of Trento, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol * Pieve Torina, a commune in the Province of Macerata, Marche *

Pieve Vergonte Pieve Vergonte is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola in the Piedmont region of Italy. It is about northwest of Verbania and northeast of Turin. Physical Geography Pieve Vergonte is located in Ossola Valley, lo ...

, a commune in the Province of Verbano Cusio Ossola, Piedmont Church architecture Architecture in Italy Catholic Church in Italy {{Church-architecture-stub