Ceiling Collapse at Rome's San Giuseppe dei Falegnami Church

On August 30, 2018, the roof of the 16th-century San Giuseppe dei Falegnami church in Rome collapsed, causing extensive damage but no injuries as the building had been closed to the public due to structural instability. The church, located at the foot of the Campidoglio, was built between the late 1500s and early 1600s over the ancient Mamertine Prison. Its design was directed by Giovan Battista Montano, with the facade completed by his pupil Giovan Battista Soria in 1621, and the church finished by Antonio Del Grande in 1663. The interior houses significant artworks, including Cesare Maccari's "Viaggio a Betlemme" and "Bottega di S.Giuseppe" in the main chapel, a 17th-century carved and gilded ceiling relief of the "Natività" by Montano, and frescoes by Marco Tullio Montagna in the annexed oratory. The church had been used only for weddings before its closure. The property is managed by the Fondo edifici culto of the Ministry of the Interior. The collapse evoked memories of the recent Morandi Bridge tragedy in Genoa. The cause remains unknown. The underlying Mamertine Prison, Rome's oldest prison, dates to the regal period and held notable prisoners such as Jugurtha, Vercingetorix, and according to tradition, Saints Peter and Paul.