Santa Maria in Strada is a small 14th-century Gothic church at the southern edge of the historic centre, notable for its elaborate terracotta facade — one of the finest examples of decorated terracotta work in Lombard Gothic architecture. The facade is covered in floral patterns, figurative panels, and intricate mouldings baked from the local clay, creating a richness of surface that contrasts with the simpler stone facades elsewhere in the city.
The interior is more modest than the exterior promises, but the church is worth a few minutes for anyone interested in the distinctive terracotta tradition of Lombard architecture, which also influenced the much grander buildings of Milan and Pavia. It is a neighbourhood church rather than a major sight, and you may well have it to yourself.