Chiesa di San Rocco

The Church of San Rocco stands at the centre of Piazza dei Martiri in Belluno. Begun after a civic vow during the plague of 1530, it preserves sixteenth-century frescoes and artworks that reflect the religious and charitable history of the city.

Why it matters

A plaque beneath the façade statue of Saint Roch recalls the vow made after the city was delivered from the 1530 outbreak. Construction proceeded in stages and reached completion in 1561. The church's later history includes Capuchin care, the suppression of religious houses under Napoleon, and a long period of Salesian activity. Its artworks span from the sixteenth-century portico paintings to nineteenth-century Bellunese art.

What to notice

The façade displays the statue of Saint Roch and the coats of arms of Venetian rectors Pietro Loredan and Giacomo Salomon. Two portico frescoes dated 1564 depict the Trinity with Saints Roch and Sebastian, and Saints Cosmas and Damian. Inside is a sixteenth-century Venetian copy of Titian's Assunta, a painting by Gaspare Diziani, a carved wooden tabernacle by Valentino Panciera Besarel, and canvases by Luigi Speranza and Luigi Cima.

Context and history

The vow followed the plague of 1530; the building campaign continued until 1561. Capuchins served the church and convent from 1605 to 1769. The religious complex was suppressed in 1806, and Countess Elisabetta Agosti acquired it in 1856, restoring the church to worship in 1860. Salesians were associated with the institution from 1924 to 1957. In 1959 the former convent became the Centro Giovanni XXIII. A plaque in the surrounding square honours writer Dino Buzzati.