In the historic fabric of via Matteotti, there is a small church built in 1524 as an ex voto for the end of the plague. Originally aligned with the street and equipped with a simple bell tower at the back, it represented a building of popular devotion nestled in the heart of the neighborhood.
In 1762, the church was completely rebuilt: the new neoclassical façade was set back from the front of the porticoes, creating a small urban widening that is still perceivable today. This space introduces a pause in the continuity of the street and interacts with the surrounding context, historically close to the area of the ancient Jewish ghetto.
The bell tower was taken up and transformed, with a more slender spire that increases its visibility in the urban landscape, making it a recognizable yet discreet element in the city skyline.
Desecrated during the Napoleonic era, the church has undergone various transformations in use. Today it is a multifunctional cultural space that hosts exhibitions, events, and artistic activities, becoming a reference point for the creative life of the city.
Thus, this small building tells a long story of adaptation: from a place of worship to a contemporary space, it preserves the memory of the past while actively participating in the cultural life of Este, in a continuous dialogue between history and the present.
