The construction of the church of San Rocco began in Parma in 1528 , for a vow taken by the citizens during a plague: the care of the construction work was initially entrusted to the brotherhood of San Giovanni decollato, but in 1564 it passed to the Jesuits which, in 1572, gave a new and decisive impetus to the work.
The Jesuit architects Giuseppe Valeriano, Giorgio Soldati, Giovanni de Rosis, Luca Bienni and Tommaso Blandino, who were responsible for the final design, participated in the design of the building (with a central plan, which is exceptional for a Jesuit church).
In the second half of the 16th century, the Jesuit college was built next to the church and university courses were started in 1599.
The church was completely rebuilt in the 18th century : works began on October 17, 1737 under the direction of Edelberto dalla Nave and ended on July 31, 1750 . In 1754 a bell tower of more than 50 meters was added to the church.
After the expulsion of the Jesuits from the Duchy of Parma decreed by Ferdinand of Bourbon (February 8, 1768), the congregation entrusted the church to the Lazarist Fathers; when these too were abolished ( 1810 ) the building was entrusted to the Ursulines , who returned it to the Jesuits in 1916 .
Source: Wikipedia