In the main square in the centre of Preci, not far from the Palazzo Comunale, stands the Church of Santa Maria della Pietà, also referred to as Pieve (Parish Church) due to the presence of a 16th-century baptismal font. The church was built in Romanesque style in the 13th century by the monks of the Abbey of Sant’Eutizio. It has two entrance portals: one is very sober and dates back to 1300, with a pointed arch and capitals in Gothic style, while the other entrance is on the left side, dates back to the following century (1400), and is decorated with numerous coats of arms on the wall. In ancient times this wall was joined via a portico, now no longer visible, to the nearby Casa della Comunità, thereby creating a space for municipal meetings. The bell tower that stands above the structure, with its large decorative clock, displays 18th-century architectural elements. The inside of the church has a simple stone floor and a single aisle embellished with chapels containing canvas and panel paintings as well as eight decorative altars. Don’t miss the ‘lipsanoteca’ (reliquary containing sacred relics) created by Angelucci and the canvas depicting the Holy Trinity painted in the 17th century by the local artist, Carocci. An earthquake in 1997 caused considerable damage to the structure, but incredibly, restoration work uncovered the remains of some 14th and 15th-century frescoes attributed generically to local artists referred to as ‘from the Valnerina’.
To the right of the Church stands an impressive War Memorial, built by the village in modern times in honour of the local fallen of the two World Wars.