The Church of San Marco in San Girolamo (St. Mark in St. Jerome) is a baroque parish church in Vicenza, northern Italy, built in the 18th century by the Discalced Carmelites. It houses various artworks by artists of the early 18th century from Veneto. The sacristy preserves its original furniture of the same period.
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The church stands on the site of a previous religious building built by the Jesuati (not to be confused with Jesuits) in 1491 and dedicated to St. Jerome. The few remains of the ancient building are the bell tower and some tombstones. Following the suppression of the Congregation of the Jesuati in 1668, the church and the convent were purchased by the Discalced Carmelites, who later expanded the religious complex, by rebuilding the church between 1720 and 1727.
In the following years the altars and interior decoration were completed, with great expenditure of resources. The floor in white-and-red marble slabs was made in 1745.
The authorship of the whole project remains uncertain, perhaps suggesting more than one hand. The style of the interior recalls the work of the prominent Venetian architect Giorgio Massari (1687-1766). It was also mentioned the name of Giuseppe Marchi (1669-1757), a local architect. It was finally suggested the involvement of Francesco Muttoni.
The facade was built in 1756 and designed by the Abbot Carlo Corbellini from Brescia. For the facade it was also drafted an alternative design by Ottone Calderari in the same year.[1] The greater altar was completed in the following year.
The church, though used since 1725 before its completion, was solemnly consecrated in 1760 by the Cardinal and Bishop of Vicenza, Antonio Maria Priuli, and titled to two saints: it retained the ancient title of St. Jerome, adding that of St. Teresa of Ávila, foundress of the Order of the Discalced Carmelites. It was commonly called "chiesa degli Scalzi" ("church of the Discalced").
In 1810 the Napoleonic laws suppressed all the religious orders and monasteries, confiscating their properties. The church of San Girolamo degli Scalzi was refitted for a short time as a tobacco manufactory, then assigned to the St. Mark parish, becoming the church of "San Marco in S. Girolamo". The ancient Church of St. Mark in Vicenza, which stood nearly above the Pusterla bridge, was sold and demolished soon after.
The church built by the Carmelites is remained essentially intact, even after several restorations (that of 1894 is remembered in a plaque above the entrance). The convent was entrusted to the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (here commonly called "Dame Inglesi") until now.
The church facade, designed in 1756 by architect Carlo Corbellini, is a baroque facade of large proportions, with 11 statues of saints.
The facade consists of two sets of Corinthian half-columns upon tall pedestals. The side wings are adorned with statues at the corners. The triangular tympanum, with thin frames, holds three other statues in the crown. In the lower floor, in the spaces between the half-columns, there are four niches, two on the first floor, with a large niche in the center. The high central window, giving light inside, is walled at the top and was painted in trompe l'oeil.
For this facade it was developed in 1756 a first draft in Palladian style by Ottone Calderari, unrealized, then adapted in 1824 for the church of S. Filippo Neri in Corso Palladio, Vicenza,[2] by architect Antonio Piovene.
The bell tower, tha can be seen on the back of the church, is the original tower built in the 15th century for the church and convent of the Jesuati. It was raised in 1933 from a design by Giuseppe Dal Conte, keeping five bells cast by Colbachini of Padua. The current set has 14 bells, which are still played by hand. The San Marco bell school is the very last in the city playing by hand (or by rope).
The interior has a main hall with a single nave and tall side chapels that provide light to the main hall through large windows.
The nave is 28 meters long and 11.5 wide (21 meters, including the chapels). The presbytery is 18 meters long including the semicircular apse. The nave ceiling consists of two bays. The rhythm is punctuated by a single order of Corinthian pilasters upon high pedestals of stone. On the sides of the main hall there are four chapels, and at the side of the chancel there are two more chapels - now with no altar - in the transept. The spaces within the four big piers that separate the chapels are used for confessionals.
Some of the main artworks preserved in the church: