The church of San Zeno in Oratorio, also known as the church of San Zenetto, is located near Castelvecchio. It is a small Romanesque church, which was destroyed by an earthquake in 1117, then rebuilt and enlarged during the fourteenth century.
According to tradition, itwas built on the site where St. Zeno, Bishop of Verona in the fourth century and saint patron of the city, went to fish: here is the stone on which the saint was sitting.
The archaeological remains of the Roman period found in the area of San Zeno in Oratorio are many and famous.
During the Scaligeri age, the area was redeveloped by Cangrande and in 1336 San Zenetto was included in the list of parish churches in the city.
In the following centuries, San Zeno in Oratorio was enriched with numerous works of art, though it was still forced to suffer some damage due to the impetuous waters of the Adige.
Unfortunately, as happened to many churches of Verona, San Zenetto was also affected by the decree of suppression issued during the French domination. The territory passed under the control of San Zeno Maggiore, while the church was stripped of all the works and furnishings that guarded. It was closed from 1807 to 1816 when, by the express will of the bishop, it was reopened as rectorate of the parish of San Zeno.
After the traumatic experience of dispossession, the church needed substantial renovations. In the course of the century, to beautify San Zenetto paintings, sculptures, architectural elements from churches demolished or permanently demaniate were recovered, with the result of significantly altering the original appearance of the church.
San Zenetto was again damaged during the Second World War, but worse came in 1957, when the south aisle of the church collapsed, destroying portions of interesting fresco of the later Middle Ages, one of them depicting St. Francis.
Yet even today the church inside its three naves preserves traces of frescoes: in particular a Crucifixion dating back to the fourteenth century dominates the entrance. A remarkable polychrome statue depicting St. Zeno is placed in a niche at the center of the choir: it is traced back to the fourteenth century, and is perhaps the work of the famous sculptor Rigino di Enrico.
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