Church of San Leone

The Church of San Leone, the exact time of construction of which is unknown (probably between the 10th and 11th centuries), was built on the remains of a Greek cross church inscribed in a square, and therefore of Byzantine worship. The church was consecrated to Saint Leo, known as the Thaumaturge, in 1224 by Guglielmo, Bishop of Bisignano. It is the largest among the churches of Saracena. Its typology can be ascribed to the mature Romanesque and early Calabrian Gothic period. The hexagonal bell tower with Romanesque triple lancet windows remains from this period. It was retouched in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The exterior is characterised by the beautiful 16th-century portal on the main façade, commissioned by the Sanseverino Princes. The interior houses various works of art of considerable interest and artistic value, including marble statues, wooden statues and sculptures, paintings, reliquary busts, silver chalices, monstrances, chasubles, copes. There are four chapels along the left aisle.