Industrial Archeology and Alessandro Rossi

Chiesa di Sant'Antonio Abate

Via P. Maraschin 1, Schio

sanpietro.schio@parrocchia.vicenza.it

Description

The Church of Sant’Antonio Abate was built in 1879 by architect Antonio Caregaro Negrin in Lumbard-Byzantine style.

The Church of Sant’Antonio Abate was built in 1879 by architect Antonio Caregaro Negrin in Lumbard-Byzantine style where a small chapel connected to the Augustinian monastery stood and in front of a public garden dedicated to “Blood Donors”. Commissioned by Alessandro Rossi to fulfil assistance initiatives for his workers, the church was not only symbolic of Rossi’s profound Catholic conception, but was also meant to physically provide a connection between the New Workers Borough and the City’s historic centre. The façade has salient roof and small steps leading to the courtyard where three columns support graceful arches and light shines on the figure of Christ and the four evangelists, painted by an artist from Vicenza, Valentino Pupin, also author of the fresco representing the life of the saint which decorates the lunettes of the facade, eventually turned into a mosaic in 1929 by Alessandro Radi. The church develops on a Latin cross plan, with the central nave twice the size of the lateral ones and light seeps in from the dome and from the double lancet windows on the sides of the chapels and from the colourful stained glass windows. The interior is richly decorated with paintings and sculptures by important artists from the Triveneto. The temple has a high altar and two lateral ones, one of these was the high altar of the previous church, and is one of the most remarkable works of art in the city. The impressive red marble baroque monument designed by Giovanni Antonio De Pieri and realized by Orazio Marinali, has alabaster statues of the evangelists: the clothes are perfectly sculpted and give a delicate sense of harmony. The altar provides an excellent frame to the altarpiece of the 18th century by Antonio Ranchi representing Our Lady of the belt with Saint Mary Magdalen, Saint Lucia, Saint Anthony Abbot, Saint Augustine and Saint Monica. Other remarkable works decorate the interior of the church.