When was the Church of St. John the Baptist built and what was there before?

The current Church of St. John the Baptist was built around 1570, replacing an earlier Romanesque church dedicated to Santa Maria that dated back to the VIII-IX century. The original chapel was demolished to make room for the new parish church, though some elements like the bell tower and presbytery walls from the Romanesque period were preserved.

What are the main artworks and sculptures inside the Church of St. John the Baptist?

The church houses remarkable wooden masterpieces including intricately carved choir stalls in the presbytery and wooden benches and counter in the sacristy, all created in the early eighteenth century by the renowned sculptor Giacomo Luchini. These pieces represent exceptional examples of craftsmanship from that period.

What historical evidence proves the original church existed in medieval times?

The existence of the original Romanesque church dedicated to Santa Maria is documented in a papal bull issued by Pope Urban III in 1186. The bell tower and some walls of the presbytery that remain today are also remnants from this medieval Romanesque structure.

Which parts of the original Romanesque church are still standing today?

The bell tower and several walls of the presbytery dating back to the Romanesque period (VIII-IX century) have survived and remain part of the current Church of St. John the Baptist structure. These elements were preserved when the church was rebuilt around 1570.

Who was the artist responsible for the wooden furnishings in the Church of St. John the Baptist?

Giacomo Luchini, a skilled sculptor of the early eighteenth century, created the church's most notable wooden artworks, including the choir stalls of the presbytery and the wooden benches and counter in the sacristy. His works are considered masterpieces and represent the artistic heritage of the church.

← Back

Religious places 195 views

Church of St. John the Baptist

Photo · Imma S.

Church of St. John the Baptist — Italy.

Location

Italia

Type

Religious places

Opening hours

—

Weather now

—

↗ Directions

About Church of St. John the Baptist

Church of St. John the Baptist | Secret World Trip Planner

There was already in the VIII-IX century a chapel, then demolished to make room for the parish, in Romanesque style, dedicated to Santa Maria, mentioned in a bull of 1186 of Pope Urban III. The bell tower and some walls of the presbytery date back to that period. In fact, around 1570 the Romanesque church was demolished and a new sacred building was built, dedicated to San Giovanni Battista. In addition to the altars, the church preserves real masterpieces, such as the choir stalls of the presbytery and the wooden benches and counter of the sacristy, a work of the early eighteenth century by the sculptor Giacomo Luchini.