Chiesa di Sant'Antonio

The Church of Sant’Antonio in Domaso was built by the Capuchins between 1624 and 1646. Its single vaulted nave, side chapels and perimeter corridors preserve the plan of a seventeenth-century friary church.

Why it matters

The Capuchins arrived in Domaso in 1573 and initially occupied the former Humiliati convent near San Giovanni Battista. As their community grew, they began a new church in 1624; it was consecrated in 1646 under the invocation of Saint Anthony of Padua. The building preserves the Capuchin presence in Domaso after the friary buildings were later demolished.

What to notice

The rectangular church has a single nave, two side chapels and corridors running along both sides. A stone slab near the entrance covers an ossuary. The high altar includes a fresco of Saint Anthony of Padua with Saint Francis, the Virgin and the Holy Trinity. The side chapels are dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria and San Felice da Cantalice; an altarpiece from the earlier Capuchin church was transferred to the Saint Catherine chapel. The roof is covered with stone slabs from Valmalenco.

Context and history

The Capuchins settled in Domaso in 1573, with financial support from Tommaso Odescalchi. In 1623 they decided to build a new complex, and construction of the church began in 1624. It was consecrated in 1646. The convent functioned until the Napoleonic suppressions; after 1802 its buildings were used for other purposes and were demolished in 1968. The church remains the principal surviving part of the friary complex.