In the spirit of the Baroque period and the Lion of Saint Mark

The churches of San Marco and San Giovanni in Rovereto

Every city has a golden age, remembered through the centuries with pride and a pinch of nostalgia. And Rovereto is no exception. Its golden age was the 15th century, when the city was under the rule of the Most Serene Republic of Venice, which transformed what had been a little medieval village into a strategic city for the military, culture and finance.

Even now, if you visit Rovereto's historical centre, you can see the famous Lion of Saint Mark, the symbol of Venice, on the palaces and in the piazzas. What you may not know is that many of these pieces were created centuries after Venetian rule ended. The only exception is the lion on the facade of the church of San Marco, which dates right back to that glorious century. And it is from this church, in the heart of the city, that we begin our journey through Rovereto's churches.

Church of San Marco, Rovereto

The entrance to the church is rather austere, apart from the large statue of the Lion of Saint Mark right above the door. But once you cross the threshold, everything changes. Indeed, the interior showcases all the splendour of the Baroque style, with spiral columns and nine marble altars from the 18th century.

But as well as its beauty, you will also be struck by two fascinating pieces of history involving the Church of San Marco.

The first dates back to 1769. The great composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who was thirteen at the time, had embarked on his famous voyage to Italy, where he astonished everyone with his extraordinary, precocious talent. Rovereto had the good fortune of being on the musician's route, and on the 26th December he performed a historic concert, playing one of the very organs that you can still admire in this church today.

The second story is from almost a century later. Between 1834 and 1835, the church's archpriest was theologian and philosopher Antonio Rosmini, one of the most illustrious characters in Trentino and one of the most respected intellectuals in Italy. Beatified in 2007, Rosmini was a great friend of Alessandro Manzoni, who described him as "one of the six or seven intellects that most honour humanity".

Church of San Giovanni, Borgo Sacco, Rovereto 

Unlike the Church of San Marco, the Church of San Giovanni already displays its Baroque splendour on the external facade, with a triumphal arch towering over the entrance. It is no surprise that this church is a symbol of the Trentino Baroque.

The interior confirms expectations, with a triumph of frescoes from the 18th century, created by Gaspare Antonio Baroni Cavalcabò, that will accompany you up to the altar, a work by sculptor Cristoforo Benedetti.

A particularly beautiful part is the Chapel of the Annunciation, built by Guglielmo Bonfioli, the parish priest from 1645. It stands out for its imposing form, with an octagonal cupola covering it and a sundial with the Bonfioli family crest on the external wall.

If you still have an appetite for more Baroque grandeur, pay a visit to Riva del Garda, where there is a church with a very unusual story.