San Bartolomeo, Baroque church in Rovigo, Italy

San Bartolomeo is a 16th-century church in Rovigo, one of the few examples of Renaissance religious architecture in Polesine, with Baroque stuccoes and frescoes added in the following century. It stands in Piazzale San Bortolo beside the former Olivetan monastery, whose cloister survives with twelve rooms around it. The bell tower, attributed to the Ferrarese architect Alberto Schiatti, was completed in 1592.

The Umiliati built the first church here in the 13th century, authorised by Bishop Guglielmo d'Este on 10 June 1255; the community declined and the convent was formally suppressed on 21 October 1474. Pope Sixtus IV's authorisation of that date passed the complex to the Olivetans, who demolished the old convent in 1480 and rebuilt it with the cloister. The present church replaced the earlier one: its first stone was laid on 21 March 1562 to a design by Bartolomeo Bonrizzo, with work until 1565 and the ferrarese architect Alberto Schiatti collaborating; the campanile, finished in 1592, was still only about 10 metres tall in 1576.

Locals call it San Bortolo, the Venetian form of the name that also marks Piazzale San Bortolo. Since 1956 it has been the seat of the parish of San Bartolomeo apostolo, and the church is still used for Catholic worship. The adjoining Olivetan monastery, suppressed in 1797, survives in its structures but is no longer in use.

The church is located at Piazzale San Bortolo near Via Antonio Oroboni and is easily accessible on foot from the town center. Visitors should note that hours vary on Sundays and religious holidays, and respectful clothing is expected when entering.

Inside stands a pipe organ built in 1778 by renowned craftsman Gaetano Callido that remains fully operational today. This instrument is among Callido's most valuable surviving works and holds particular significance for those interested in musical history.