Construction of the abbey and church were begun in the 10th century under the patronage of then Bishop Sigefredus over a pre-existing oratory dedicated to Saint Colombanus.

The facade was designed by Simone Moschino of Orvieto in proto-Baroque, or Mannerist, style in 1604, and completed in 1607, as cited in the plaque below the tympanum.

The design included since the beginning a thoroughly painted decoration of the interior, and a contract had been signed with the young Correggio, who had already worked in another Benedictine monastery, in the Camera della Badessa of San Paolo.

[3] It is long strip with monochrome paintings (with few red details) on a dark blue background, including also some tondoes with portraits of Benedictine popes, cardinals and monks.

The carved wooden choir by Marcantonio Zucchi, inlaid with floral motifs, views of towns and hills and musical instruments, runs around the apse.

The first includes the portal leading to the sacristy with a fresco in the lunette, depicting St. John and the Eagle (c. 1520) and generally considered his first work in the church, although similarities with the dome decoration could imply that it dates from a later period.

The inscription ALTIUS CAETERIS DEI PATEFECIT ARCAN around the painting refers to the nocturnal prayers of the monks.

The third work was the decoration of the vault and the apse ceiling of the Cappella Maggiore, partially destroyed in 1586 when the choir was prolonged: today the central fragment with the Coronation of the Virgin (now at the Galleria nazionale di Parma) has survived.

Preparatory drawings show that also the parts executed by his pupils were designed by Correggio, such as the candelabra in the presbytery's vault and the puttos on the cross-vaults.

Around 1524, Correggio also painted two canvasses for the Del Bono Chapel, now at the Galleria nazionale di Parma: the Lamentation for Dead Christ and the Martyrdom of Four Saints.

There are 18th century copies of Correggio's canvasses in the Del Bono Chapel, whose arch has maintained frescoes executed by his pupils under his design (Conversion of St Paul and Saints Andrew and Peter).