The church of Santa Maria Antica was built in the early Middle Ages and, since at least the 10th century, has been under the authority of the abbot of Santa Maria in Organo. A fragment of mosaic flooring preserved behind the left apse dates back to the eighth century.

Around the middle of the 12th century, the church was rebuilt (it was consecrated only in 1185) as a hall with brick walls alternated with stone blocks, ending externally in a straight eastern wall, onto which the bell tower rests. The door on the façade is positioned behind a medieval tower house, while the north side is incorporated into the rectory. In this situation, the side wall has effectively become the main entrance.

The interior has three naves, divided by arches resting on columns. The naves are enclosed by three semicircular apses carved into the thickness of the wall. Two frescoed alcoves depict images of the archangel Gabriel and Maria annunciata, dating back to the 14th century. The church was reconstructed in 1630 and took on its present appearance thanks to the demolition of the baroque works and the restoration of the medieval forms carried out by Abbot Angelo Gottardi between 1887 and 1908.

The noble Scaligeri family, who had already been burying their dead in the parish cemetery, chose the space next to the church as the site for their monumental tombs. The altar of Saint Rita of Cascia in the southern apse is the focus of special veneration as patron saint of impossible causes, particularly on 22 May.