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San Giuseppe dei Falegnami

Coordinates: 41°53′35″N 12°29′04″E / 41.89306°N 12.48444°E / 41.89306; 12.48444
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San Giuseppe dei Falegnami
Church of Saint Joseph of the Carpenters
San Giuseppe a Campo Vaccino
Chiesa di San Giuseppe dei Falegnami
Facade
Map
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41°53′35″N 12°29′04″E / 41.89306°N 12.48444°E / 41.89306; 12.48444
LocationClivo Argentario 1, Rome
CountryItaly
Language(s)Italian
DenominationCatholic
TraditionRoman Rite
Websitesangiuseppedeifalegnami.org
History
Statustitular church
DedicationSaint Joseph
Consecrated11 November 1663
Architecture
Functional statustitular church
Architect(s)Giacomo Della Porta
StyleBaroque
Groundbreaking1597
Completed1663
Administration
DioceseRome

San Giuseppe dei Falegnami (Italian, "St. Joseph of the Carpenters"), also called San Giuseppe a Campo Vaccino ("St. Joseph at the Cowfield", an old name for the Roman Forum), is a Roman Catholic church located next to the Roman Forum in Rome, Italy.

In the 11th-century, the Santi Pietro e Paolo in Carcere (St. Peter & St. Paul in Prison) Church was built here over the Mamertine Prison, which by legend was the incarceration site of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.[1] In 1540, the Congregation of the Carpenters obtained authorization to build a new church here upon the ruins of the Santi Pietro e Paolo in Carcere Church. By 1597, work began on a new (current) church dedicated to the patron saint of carpenters, St. Joseph. The initial architect was Giacomo della Porta. At his death (1602), the work was continued by Giovanni Battista Montano who designed the façade. At his death (1621), the work was continued by his pupil Giovanni Battista Soria. The San Giuseppe dei Falegnami Church was completed in 1663 by Antonio Del Grande (1607-1679), and it was consecrated on November 11, 1663.

In 1853, the Chapel of the Crucifix was built between the church’s floor and the prison's ceiling. The church was restored in 1886 with the construction of a new apse. In the 1930s, the façade was raised above the floor to allow direct access to the Mamertine Prison below. The interior has a nave with two side chapels that were decorated in the nineteenth century. Among the paintings is Nativity (1651) by Carlo Maratta. Next to the church is an oratory, with a wooden ceiling. The Chapel of the Crucifix is located between the church's floor and the Mamertine Prison's ceiling. It became a titular church on February 18, 2012 and received its first Cardinal-Deacon.

On August 30, 2018, two thirds of the carved wooden ceiling fell due to a collapse of two of the four roof trusses, and it was closed to the public.[1] During restoration, conservators found that knowledge of coffered ceiling construction methods was underdeveloped, as research had mostly focused on their artistic and historic aspects.[2]

References

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  1. ^ The Roman Forum by David Watkin 2009 ISBN 0-674-03341-8 page 128