Oratory of St. Anne

Located on the junction between via Rusticana and via Rottazzi, the site is privately owned by the Filipetti family. The presence of an oratory on this crossroads is very old, reaching as early as 1572, when it was mentioned in the first Book of Baptisms, a "small chapel outside Argelo towards Cento", popularly known as "il Rustighello", from the surname (Rustichelli) of an important family who previously owned the area and probably built the first oratory. This crossroads was very busy in ancient times, since the road on the left led to "Rottazzi" before heading for Cento (across the "pass" on the Reno) while the road on the right, known as "Rusticale", ran to Pieve.

During the 1600s and 1700s the oratory was dedicated to St James.

In 1699 it became the property of the Cavalca counts, yet it had fallen into such disrepair that the apostolic visitor ordered its demolition. It was probably restored though, as ,in 1745, the new "visitor" wrote that he "saw it standing properly".

In the second half of the 18th century, the oratory, together with the neighbouring villa and extensive properties in the area, were purchased by the Filipetti family of Cento, who renamed the building and dedicated it to St Anne.

In 1875 the engineer Giovan Battista Filipetti was given permission to demolish the existing oratory, by then decaying, in order to build a new structure; he therefore commissioned the engineer Count Annibale Bentivoglio (his relative) to draw up the project and supervise the work.

The new church, in neo-Gothic style, with a Greek cross plan, was completed in 1883 and inaugurated on the 4th Sunday of October by the Archbishop of Bologna, Battaglini, who administered Confirmation to the children of the parish of Argile and other neighbouring parishes.

It was the most beautiful oratory of the area, attended by the parishioners on certain special occasions and functions when it was first open to the public (St Anne's Day, Corpus Christi processions and so on).

It has been recently restored.