Oratory of St Thomas Aquinas, Florence

Oratory of St Thomas Aquinas
Religion
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
Province	Florence
Location
Location	Florence, Italy
Geographic coordinates	43°46′22.89″N 11°15′40.30″E / 43.7730250°N 11.2611944°E / 43.7730250; 11.2611944
Architecture
Architect(s)	Santi di Tito
Type	Church
Style	Renaissance
Completed	1568

The Oratory of St. Thomas Aquinas is a late-Renaissance-style, Roman Catholic prayer hall located on Via della Pergola in Florence, region of Tuscany, Italy.

History

The simple facade stands across the street from the Hospital of Santa Maria Nuova; it was initially the site of the Congregation of the Noble Contemplatives (Congregazione dei Contemplanti dei Nobili), founded by a Dominican friar, named fra Santi di Cini, from the Convent of San Marco. In 1568, the painter Santi di Tito, designed the oratory for the confraternity, and it was dedicated it to St Thomas Aquinas. Santi also painted the altarpiece of the Crucifixion and St Thomas Aquinas (in restoration). The vestibule has quadratura painted in 1782 by the painters Grix and Stagi. The altar has walls decorated in elaborate and fine scagiole by Carlo Ghibertoni. The ceiling was decorated in 1710 with quadratura by Rinaldo Botti, and depicts the Glory of St Thomas painted by Camillo Sagrestani and Ranieri del Pace. In the seventeenth century, the oratory became a hospice for pilgrims, and in 1775, rites were suppressed. The oratory has recently been reconsecrated and holds services.

Sources

• Quadraturismo website

This page was last edited on 22 June 2023, at 17:51