The Old Churches of Vicenza: S. Stefano

The first reliable mention of the church appears in a bull issued by Pope Urban III in 1186, addressed to Bishop Pastore of Vicenza. The chapel of S. Stefano was one of the seven city chapels, each led by a chaplain under the authority of the cathedral chapter.

In 1459, the church—by then severely dilapidated—was demolished, and all the artworks it contained were lost. A new church was built on the same site, soon enriched with side chapels thanks in part to bequests from important families such as the Pagello, Sex, and Capra families.Due to its possessions, the church remained autonomous until 1595, when the parish priest, Don Girolamo Pisani, renounced his rights in favor of the religious order founded by Gaetano Thiene.

By the late 1600s, the church of S. Stefano — the most important in the city — had become too small for the growing number of faithful, and it was decided to rebuild it. The Theatine architect Guarino Guarini was initially commissioned to design a majestic new building, moving the main façade toward Corso Andrea Palladio. The municipality, however, did not authorize the change due to the excessive cost.

More modest plans were requested from Rome. Meanwhile, the Theatines chose to build a separate church of their own, abandoning S. Stefano. Reconstruction began on 25 June 1695 under the direction of architect Carlo Borella.The enormous expense and the municipality’s financial difficulties delayed the completion of the work until 1764.

On 27 May 1797, Napoleonic troops entered Vicenza and plundered its churches. In S. Stefano they stole the famous silver statue of the saint, two large vases, and the silver parapet; all were melted into ingots and sent to France.

In 1895, the great dome was built, making the church the second-tallest building in the city.The church, clearly inspired by Roman Baroque, has a beautiful façade in Vicenza stone. The city coat of arms is visible in the center of the broken tympanum. Five statues decorate the façade: Saints Stefano, Vincenzo, and Gaetano, together with allegories of Justice and Wisdom.

The interior consists of a single nave with marble walls. Four huge arches support the great dome. On the walls of the presbytery hang large paintings by Maffei, Maganza, Palma il Vecchio, Tintoretto, Arrigoni, and Chiesa.The tabernacle is adorned with three important wooden panels by Giandomenico Tiepolo. Adriano Bevilacqua

Stefano in Vicenza solo uno alcuni molti riflessi del patrimonio storico, culturale e artistico che vive e anima le nostre Terre Palladiane, dove abita Bellezza.

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Articolo aggiornato nel 2026