Imagine, if you will a serene chapel. This chapel later evolved into the Chiesa di San Bartolomeo Apostolo in Barcola, Trieste. It stands as a testament to faith and architectural evolution.
Let’s step back in time. The earliest mention of a church here dates to the Late Middle Ages. Records from 1338, within the statutes of Trieste’s cathedral chapter, speak of it. In 1462, Bishop Enea Silvio Piccolomini, later Pope Pius II, granted special indulgences to Barcola’s Chapel of San Bartolomeo. He did this during a visit to Trieste.
By 1785, the small church had grown. It became a curacy. Just two years later, a new church was built. This new structure saw expansions in 1838 and again in 1892. That year marked its elevation to a parish church. The Chiesa di San Bartolomeo underwent significant reconstruction between 1930 and 1935. Giovanni Bernè designed this renovation.
Notice the facade. The rose window is quite striking. It originated from the ancient Church of San Pietro in Trieste. That church was demolished in 1870. Its demolition paved the way for Piazza Unità d’Italia. The rose window itself dates back to the 14th century. Its origins remain a mystery. By 1602, it was already being reused when the Church of San Pietro, also known as San Rocco, was rebuilt.
Inside the Chiesa di San Bartolomeo, the main altar has an interesting past. It comes from Trieste’s cathedral. Once, it was dedicated to the Santissimo Sacramento.
Look at the building’s structure. It sits in Barcola. Barcola stretches along the sea. It lies between the Karst plateau and the Gretta hill. Romans inhabited this area long ago. Later, it became a popular seaside resort. It was a place for summer relaxation.
In 1462, Bishop Piccolomini decided to grant an indulgence of five years. He also granted as many quarantines to visitors of the chapel. This was for those “truly penitent and confessed” on the feast day of the titular saint.
In 1931, the Province contributed to a much-needed expansion. During this expansion, the rose window from the demolished Church of San Rocco was placed on the facade. This window was likely commissioned for a 14th-century building. By 1935, two side chapels and a new apse were added.
During the 1930s, the bell tower was heightened. It got an octagonal drum and a spire. In 1952, a monumental Baroque altar was added. It came from a chapel in Venice’s Church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo. Thanks to Antonio Bosa, an artist active in Venice, the Opera Pia of Trieste purchased it. It arrived in Trieste in 1940. First, it was stored in the Ossario di San Michele al Carnale. Later, it found its home in the Chiesa di San Bartolomeo. Giovanni Comino and Enrico Meringio sculpted the altar. It features a mensa with an alto-relievo decorated pallium. Statues of Luke and Matthew flank it. A balustrade connects them to two angel figures. The Baroque tabernacle is at the center. It is made of polychrome marble. It was adapted to this structure in 1826. It originally sat on the altar of the Santissimo Sacramento in San Giusto.
The altars of the Sacred Heart and the Madonna del Rosario also came from Trieste’s cathedral. The central apse holds a painting. It depicts the parish’s patron saint, the Apostle San Bartolomeo. In 1994, another altar was erected. Architect Carmelo Nino Trovato designed it.
The Chiesa di San Bartolomeo stands as a blend of history, art, and faith. It is a testament to the enduring spirit of Barcola and Trieste.