San Matteo church in Genoa, Italy, is a Roman Catholic church with a captivating history. Hidden in its facade, a Roman sarcophagus is the most intriguing feature of the church, a key to its past mystery, and a memory of the family who originally commissioned it. The sarcophagus, dating back to the late Roman period, features an allegory of the autumn, which can still be seen today.
Other notable artworks within the church include the Miracle of the Ethiopian Dragon, the Vocation of St. Matthew, a wooden 'Deposition', and the tomb of Andrea Doria, executed by Montorsoli, in the crypt. At the high altar is a Holy Family with St. Anne by Bernardo Castello (16th century). According to tradition, the sword housed under the altar belonged to Andrea Doria and was donated to this church by Pope Paul III. The exterior of the church, divided into three sections by fake columns with Lombard bands, includes the cloister of St. Matthew, of quadrangular plan, dating to 1308, on the left side.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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