Church of St Peter

The Church of St Peter was built on the site where the monastic abbey of San Pietro in Piano had stood in the 9th century. The building was rebuilt after a fire towards the end of the 15th century.
The facade, built in 1597 by Camillo Mariani, is divided by four Corinthian order columns which hold up a tympanum on which are the monastery's coat of arms with the allegories of Hope and Faith.
The paintings are by Gian Battista Zelotti ("Consignment of the keys to St Peter"), Alessandro Maganza ("Pietà"), Francesco Maffei ("Adoration of the Shepherds"), Giambattista Maganza the Younger ("Martyrdom of St Justina" and "San Mauro handed over to San Benedetto").
The altars are of the Albanese school.
The adjacent monastery was founded by the Benedictines in 1827 and for a long time was an important religious centre.
In 1810, after the Suppression, Count Ottavio Trento bought it to set up an Institute for the poor and needy. In memory of their benefactor, in 1812 Antonio Canova made a funereal stele, the sculptor's only work in Vicenza.
After the restoration work the 15th century cloister was all that remained intact.

Text approved by the Arts Office of the Diocese of Vicenza

Address: piazza San Pietro - tel. 0444 514443 - fax 0444 513570

Weekday Masses: 9.00, 19.00
Pre-Feast-day Masses: 18.30
Feast-day Masses: 8.30, 10.00, 11.30, 19.00

Opening times: every day 9.30-12.00 and 17.30-19.30