The San Giuseppe Church in Brescia is located next to the monastery of the same name and is considered a sort of Pantheon of the Brescian music world. The associated monastery is currently used as the seat of the city’s Museo Diocesano.
San Giuseppe Church Brescia
Useful information
Address: Vicolo di San Giuseppe, 5 – Brescia (tel. +39 03040483). Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday from 10:00 to 12:00 and 15:00 to 18:00. Entrance fee: Unknown.
History and description
The first stone of San Giuseppe Church was laid in 1519, while construction of the adjacent monastery began in 1534. A walkway between the church and the convent was added in 1580, and the last of the three cloisters was completed in 1610.
The Friars Minor responsible for the construction had had to leave their earlier church when it had been demolished by order of the Venetian Republic. After Brescia was sacked in 1512, it was decided to flatten the entire district in front of the walls so that the city would be easier to defend. The new district was one of artisans, but also of prostitutes. The hope was that construction of the new church would drive out the latter group.
The church consist of 3 naves with 10 chapels on each side. The chapels are each dedicated to a guild, which also had the task of maintaining the chapel. The church itself is dedicated to the patron saint of carpenters.
In the 18th century, the church was completely redecorated. Since each professional group had different tastes, there is a wide variety of styles among the various chapels.
People from the music world who are buried in the church are the organ maker Graziadeo Antegnati, the violin maker Gaspare de Salò and the Venetian composer Benedetto Marcello.