Chiesa di San Tomaso Cantuariense

The church of San Tomaso Becket, better knows as church of San Tomaso Cantuariense, is a church located nearby the historical center of Verona, just over Ponte Nuovo del Popolo. It is dedicated to the english Saint Tommaso Becket.

The present church, built by the Carmelites in the 15th century, stands on the spot where two churches had previously been consecrated, one dedicated to San Tomaso Becket (1316), the other one to Annunciata (1351). The building shows romanesque and gothic styles combined.

In 1545 (maybe 1550) some architectural tidying up projects for the church, were assigned to Michele Sanmicheli, but the job was left unfinished. The facade, though plain and unfinished is enhanched by one rose window and two mullioned windows. The portal, made in 1493, was removed in 1518 from the church of Santa Maria Mater Domini in Valdonega borough and placed where we can admire it nowadays.

The sixty meters high bell tower was built in late 1400 and is in romanesque style. It hosts ten bells which are tuned in D3 lower musical scale and were cast by Cavadini's foundry in Verona, in 1930. These bells are manually played according to the Veronese Bells concert techniques.

For their special sound these bells are renowned by the players (at the notes test) for precise and melodious sound.

The inside of the church has one nave; it is paved with white and red squares except in the presbitery and the ceiling is coverd by wood, with queen truss and ceiling with squares. The altars are eight set within renaissance arches.

In the church there are works by Paolo Farinati, Francesco Torbido, Girolamo Dai Libri, Antonio Balestra and Alessandro Turchi. There is also an organ which was played by a young Mozart and which still shows some engravings made on some wooden parts by the young musician. We can also admire the neo-classic mausoleums.