San Francesco

San Francesco, known locally as Chiesa di San Francesco, is a captivating gem nestled in the heart of Schio, Italy. This historic church, often referred to as the Church of the Friars, stands at the edge of the verdant Valletta area, near the town's historic center. Its serene ambiance and rich history make it a must-visit for anyone exploring this charming Italian town.

The History of San Francesco

The origins of San Francesco trace back to 1424 when the Franciscan friar Vincenzo da Cori initiated the construction of a small chapel. However, it wasn't until 1437 that the construction of the church gained momentum, leading to its consecration in 1442. A commemorative plaque beside the entrance reads, ALBERTUS NICHIXOLA EP(ISCOPU)S SUFFRAG(ANE)US / VERON(ENSIS) CO(N)SECRAVIT HA(N)C ECCL(ES)IAM / ET CAEMETERIU(M) AD HONOREM DEI / ET SANCTI FRANCISCI / ANNO D(OMI)NI MCCCXLII / DIE XVI ME(N)SIS IULII, marking this significant event.

Throughout the 15th and early 16th centuries, the church underwent numerous enhancements. Initially, three side chapels were added, followed by the construction of the apse and sacristy. Later, the nave was extended, and two more chapels were added, eventually merging into a single side nave by removing the dividing walls. This transformation gave San Francesco its final structural form.

The bell tower, originally built in the 15th century, was elevated further in 1522. The adjoining convent was constructed concurrently with the church, starting in 1424, though work paused and resumed in 1442. By 1447, the first cloister was completed, hosting the first chapter of the Venetian Observant Province. The completion date of the second cloister remains uncertain.

Monastic activities continued until the suppression of religious orders by Napoleon in 1810. The convent then served as the town's hospital and later as an institute for the elderly. Despite these changes, the church remained active and is now owned by the municipality of Schio.

Exploring San Francesco

The exterior of San Francesco, as seen today, results from renovations between 1894 and 1895, designed by Carlo Letter. A small 16th-century pronaos with four arches supported by slender columns precedes the entrance. The simple façade is asymmetrical due to the presence of a single side nave. The only decorations are brick corbels, four pilasters topped with crosses, and a closed rose window in the center of the façade.

The left side of the church, also adorned with brick corbels and pilasters, still bears traces of a large red cross painted during World War II to mark the building as a medical facility, protecting it from air raids. The bell tower, raised in the 16th century, features ancient bell chamber openings now sealed. The current bell chamber has pointed arches and is decorated with brick corbels. The spire and pinnacles were reconstructed in 1929 after lightning damage. The bell tower houses three bells: two from 1922 and one from 1784.

Connected to the right side of the church are various pavilions, mostly built in the 19th century to accommodate the hospital moved there in the early 1800s.

The Interior of San Francesco

The Central Nave

The central nave of San Francesco features a wooden truss roof with modest decorations. On the left, five pointed arches supported by simple stone columns separate the central nave from the side nave. The right wall is illuminated by several windows and adorned with a large wooden crucifix from the early 15th century and a 16th-century wooden pulpit.

The hall is decorated with a double fresco frieze attributed to Francesco Verla and his assistants, completed by 1520. The upper frieze, painted in twenty-four panels between the trusses, predominantly depicts stories of Franciscan saints, interspersed with sky scenes. The lower frieze features twenty-six roundels of Franciscan saints connected by a yellow band decorated with putti, animals, flowers, and garlands. In 1930, two additional roundels depicting Popes Pius X and Pius XI were added but are now partially obscured by the new Ruffatti organ installed in 1997, replacing the inadequate 1910 Pugina organ.

The triumphal arch features a 1954 Annunciation by Giuseppe Lovato. The floor, redone in 1860, contains numerous burial seals, many belonging to prominent Schio families.

The Side Nave

The side nave, added later, gives the church its asymmetrical shape. It has a different height, floor level, and vaulted ceiling compared to the central nave's truss roof. The side nave houses four altars and a painting by Francesco Verla.

The Altare del Nome di Gesù, closest to the entrance, was dedicated to the Name of Jesus by the eponymous confraternity. This 1566 altar, reassembled in 1864, features two pink marble Ionic columns supporting a broken curved pediment adorned with dentils and angels pointing heavenward. The white marble altar table has a precious 17th-century inlaid marble frontal. The altar holds a painting attributed to Giambattista Maganza the Younger, depicting the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple from the early 17th century.

The Altare di Maria Bambina, originally dedicated to San Diego, was renamed in recent times due to the presence of the Sisters of Charity in the nearby hospital since 1852. The niche houses a statue of Maria Bambina in a gilded cradle, surrounded by golden angels. Erected in 1716, this altar features rococo-style sinuous forms, Corinthian columns, and a broken pediment with scrolls. The altar table and frontal are also elaborately decorated.

The Altare della Concezione della Beata Vergine Maria, dating from the early 18th century, is attributed to Giacomo Cassetti and shares structural similarities with the Altare di Maria Bambina. It features sinuous movement, Corinthian columns, a broken pediment, and a richly decorated altar table and frontal. The side niches contain statues of Saints Joachim and Anne, while the central niche holds a valuable Madonna and Child from the late 15th century, possibly by Girolamo da Vicenza.

The Altare di Sant'Antonio da Padova, originally dedicated to San Bernardino, was rededicated to Saint Anthony of Padua in 1655. The current altar, likely from the 16th century but completed in the late 17th century, has black marble Corinthian columns supporting two female figures pointing heavenward, with a pedimented front. The richly decorated altar table features polychrome marble. The side niches contain modest 17th-century stucco statues of Saints John of Capistrano and Paschal Baylon. The altar painting, an 19th-century work by Valentino Pupin, depicts Saint Anthony humbling Ezzelino da Romano.

The central bay of the side nave houses the painting Sposalizio mistico di Santa Caterina, a masterpiece by Francesco Verla, signed and dated 1512. This complex work is divided into three distinct parts. The predella depicts three episodes from Saint Catherine's life: The Judgment, The Torment with the Wheel, and The Decapitation. The background figures in these scenes include images of a church (possibly San Francesco of Schio) and a castle, likely Schio Castle. The central scene, set in a typical Renaissance setting, shows Saint Catherine kneeling to receive the wedding ring from Mary with the Child seated on a throne. Other saints complete the scene: Saint Agatha and Saint Lucy on the left, and Saint Joseph and Saint John the Baptist on the right.

San Francesco is not just a church; it's a testament to the rich history and artistic heritage of Schio. Its walls tell stories of centuries past, making it an unmissable destination for anyone visiting this beautiful Italian town.