The present church was built by Biagio Rossetti from 1494 onwards. Considerable transformations took place after the earthquake of 1570 and on other occasions. The brickwork façade is marked by several pilaster-strips, either of marble or terracotta; in the line separating the two orders you can admire an outstanding terracotta frieze by Gabriele Frisoni, representing heads of Saint Francis and angels. The interior has the form of a Latin cross, with three aisles divided by columns; the corner pillars are decorated with putti and heraldic devices painted by Girolamo da Carpi (1501-1556). The same artist painted the elegant portraits of saints in the central aisle. The church was once very rich in works of art, especially paintings by Garofalo, which were transferred either to Rome in the 17th century or to Ferrara’a National Gallery in the 19th century, and replaced here with copies. Garofalo surely is the author of the beautiful fresco ‘The Capture of Christ, in the first chapel on the left; on the altar of the same chapel stands an outstanding ‘Flagellation’ of unknown author. Paintings by Scarsellino and Bastarolo can also be found in the church. Behind the main altar a grand sculpted and gilded altar-piece contains three paintings by Domenico Mona (16th century): ‘Deposition’, ‘Ascension’ and ‘Resurrection’. In the left transept there is an interesting byzantine sarcophagus coming from the area of Ravenna (5th century), which was used as a monumental tomb by the Ariosto family. In the right transept stands the grand baroque tomb of marquis Ghiron Francesco Villa, a great general living in the 17th century.