The church dedicated to B.V. Assunta, is prior to the founding of the abbey. The Marquis Adalberto of Ivrea in fact, in his deed of gift to the monks of Novalesa, speaks of “courts of Breme and Tom Thumb,” and the term “curtis” in mediaeval times indicates a self-sufficient land possession, with the mill, furnace , cellar, workshop and, of course, of a church. The fact that the church was a baptistery attached shows the importance Breme had in the area, as a reference point between the neighboring countries.
The church dates back to centuries. X – XI, but there you can see traces of masonry of earlier eras. The style is typically Romanesque; the façade, originally “hut”, was modified in the thirteenth century. with the rise of the central nave and perhaps the addition of two aisles; the same period is also the beautiful square bell tower, located on the rear left side of the church. The walls are mostly brick, with bricks of different sizes alternating river pebbles and arranged in an irregular manner, so as to indicate that originally the facade was plastered and possibly painted. The side chapels that increase the total volume of the building, were added in the last century. The eaves of the nave and aisles is decorated with a pattern of brick “sawtooth”, typical of many Romanesque buildings. The interior, much remodeled, has three naves, with semicircular apse and transept not, as can be seen frequently in the Romanesque churches of the Lombardy area. The pillars that support the nave, brick and square, are supported and reinforced by semi marble (added in 1933), as well as the arches between the pillars. The coffered ceiling, also due to the restoration of 1933, replaced the low time, even the original one, built in the last century.
Always the restoration of 1933, due to the Provost Don Carlo Ferrandi, you owe the current arrangement of the presbytery was built the arch that separates the nave, on which are painted figures of saints that encircle around to the Virgin; It built the new altar, surmounted by a high ciborium; a large crucifix on the altar replaced the altarpiece (of anonymous author, depicting the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Virgin Mary and the Apostles, is currently in the sacristy).
(text courtesy of Municipality of Breme)