San Clemente, Padua

Church of San Clemente
File:Padova juil 09 53 (8189018614).jpg Church facade on the Piazza dei Signori
Basic information
Location	Veneto, Italy
Geographic coordinates	45°24′27.36″11°52′27.01″E
Affiliation	Christian
Rite	Roman
Province	Diocese of Padua
Leadership	Pope Clement I
Architectural description
Architectural type	Church
Architectural style	Mannerist
Groundbreaking	11th Century
Completed	18th Century
Specifications

The Church of St. Clement overlooks the Piazza dei Signori in Padua, Italy. It is currently a dependent of the Cathedral Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta.

History

The earliest mention is a document from 1190, when it was elevated to a parish. In 1386, the church commemorated the victory at the Battle of Castagnaro of forces including men under Francesco Novello da Carrara over armies of Antonio della Scala. With its proximity to the nearby market places, they were able to promote the commissioning of private altars and restoration work. The building was substantially altered in the sixteenth century, during the work of reorganization of the square outside, and later in the 1600 and 1700. Titian Minium, a famous Paduan sculptor, is buried in the church.

Exterior

The exterior of the building, is surrounded by home and commercial buildings. Only the front façade. facing the piazza, is visible. It is in three parts, divded by pilasters topped by Corinthian capitals. The columns support a pediment topped by statues of St. Clement, St. Giustina and St. Daniel. The tympanum of the portal is surmounted by a large rose window surrounded by terracotta decoration from the 7th and 8th centuries. A round high relief from the fourteenth century, depicts St Clement. In two niches are the statues of St. John the Baptist, and Sant'Alò, dated 1696. A neo-baroque belfry rises, next to the church. A dome covering the bell tower was demolished in the second half of the nineteenth century.

Interior

The nave is a vaulted hall with a small square apse.

Among the decoration of the interior are paintings by Giovanni Battista Bissoni, Giulio Cirello and Pietro Damini. Damiani painted the Jesus giving the keys to St Peter. The main altar (1782) houses the altarpiece depicting Pope Clement I (St Clement) surrounded by angels by Luca Ferrari from Reggio. The altar of St Anthony of Padua, was provided by the "fratelea casolinorum" (Brotherhood of the grocers). The bas-relief depicts John the Baptist with the tools of the trade of grocers. The statue of St Anthony has replaced a painting of St Charles Borromeo by Pietro Malombra, which has been restored. Near the entrance there is a fresco attributed to Jacopo Bellini.

Pipe organ

The choir eighteenth century in the counter within a rococo chest, is the pipe organ, built in the early twentieth century by Domenico Malvestio probably reusing the phonic material of the previous organ, perhaps century. The tool is completely closed in case of expression and transmission system with mixed mechanical manual and pedal, tire logs, has a single keyboard of 54 notes and a pedal straight to 27. The barrels are completely closed by cash expressive except some belonging to the register Principale 8 '.

External links

• Church of San Clemente - Padua. Retrieved December 8, 2013.
• Malvestio organ . Padua , Church of San Clemente . Retrieved on the December 8, 2013
• Chiesa di San Clemente - Padova. URL consultato l8 dicembre 2013.
• Organo Malvestio. Padova, Chiesa di San Clemente. URL consultato l8 dicembre 2013