Saint Matthew church, Catholic church in Asiago, Italy.
Saint Matthew church is the cathedral and parish church of Asiago, rebuilt after its destruction in 1916 and completed in 1922. It has a neoclassical facade and a stone bell tower with eight swinging bells. Inside are a early 16th-century altarpiece by Francesco da Ponte the Elder and a 1922 carved wooden statue of the Virgin and Child.
The original structure dates back to the late 14th century and underwent many rebuildings over time. The current building was completed in the 1920s after its predecessor was destroyed during a major conflict.
The church is dedicated to Saint Matthew, whose feast is celebrated on 21 September. In 1582 Pope Gregory XIII granted the commune of Asiago the right of patronage to elect the parish priest, a privilege that shaped local religious life for centuries. The wooden statue of the Virgin and Child on the altar of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was carved in 1922 by Giuseppe Rifesser.
The church stands in Asiago's historic centre, a short walk from the main square. The bell tower, rebuilt from its foundations in 1755 and inaugurated in 1763, is a useful landmark for finding the entrance. The building was completed in 1922, so the interior is a 20th-century reconstruction rather than the neoclassical church of 1842–1870.
The bell tower holds eight swinging bells. The original six were cast by Cavadini of Verona in 1822; after World War I a new set was cast by the same foundry in 1921. Four Cavadini bells remain, and two smaller bells were added in 2015 by the De Poli foundry of Vittorio Veneto.
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