The Sant’Antonio Abate Church is located near the Cathedral of the city, in what locals call Ventimiglia Alta. It is one of the main baroque churches in the area and is characterized by a beautiful facade with a double staircase.
Sant’Antonio Abate Church Ventimiglia
History and description
The Sant’Antonio Abate Church, together with the Convent of the (female) Canons Regular of the Lateran was founded in 1668. It was built on the site where the 11th century fortress of the Counts of Ventimiglia used to be. Not much is left of this fortress, which used to be the main defensive structure of the city during the wars against the Republic of Genoa.
Both church and convent were designed by the architect Pietro Antonio Corradi, who did most of his work in Genoa. The convent does not exist anymore, however. After having been used as a hospital in the past century, it is now a school.
The facade consists of a picturesque three arch portico above a wide double staircase.
The main work of art is a “Lament of Christ” by Paolo Piazza, a Capuchin monk who was also known as Fra Cosimo Piazza.