Church of San Giovanni in Valle

The Church of San Giovanni in Valle, located in the Borgo Roma district of Verona, is a jewel of Romanesque architecture with a history that spans centuries of religious and cultural transformations. This Catholic place of worship, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, stands on an ancient pagan necropolis and a Roman temple, a site that testifies to the deep historical roots of the area. The origins of the church date back to the 5th-6th century, when a crypt was built above an ancient early Christian cemetery. Subsequently, the second church was erected by the Lombards in the 6th-7th centuries, but was destroyed by the devastating earthquake of 1117. The current church, rebuilt in 1120, is distinguished by its tuff structure, typical of Veronese Romanesque architecture. The exterior of the church features a tripartite facade in tuff and white stone blocks, a classic example of the Romanesque style of the region. In the center, there is a portal framed by a Gothic red marble frame, surmounted by a hanging porch on two columns. The lunette above the portal preserves remains of a 14th-century fresco attributed to Stefano da Verona, depicting the Madonna enthroned with the Child and two saints, St. Bartholomew and St. Anthony the Abbot. The interior of the church has three naves, supported by pillars, and preserves 13th-century frescoes. The presbytery, reached by a staircase, overlooks the crypt containing two early Christian sarcophagi from the 3rd and 4th centuries. One of the sarcophagi, known as the “Ark of St. Simon and St. Jude Thaddeus,” is decorated with biblical representations and Christian symbols, an important testimony of early Christian funerary art. The church suffered significant damage during World War II, when it was hit by a bombing on October 10, 1944. The building was promptly restored after the war, with the aim of restoring the original Romanesque features, including small windows and frescoes. The church was reconsecrated on October 10, 1945 by Bishop Girolamo Cardinale. Adjacent to the church are the remains of an ancient cloister and a bell tower built in different phases, which together complete the architectural complex. The rectory and the adjacent courtyard represent one of the most important examples of remaining Romanesque civil architecture in Verona. The Church of San Giovanni in Valle is not only an architectural monument, but also a symbol of spiritual and community continuity. Over the centuries, it has undergone numerous transformations and has seen its role within the Diocese of Verona change. In 1756, thanks to Pope Benedict XIV’s constitution “Regis pacifici vices,” the church was freed from the authority of the cathedral canons and placed directly under that of the bishop. In 1807, it temporarily ceased to be a parish to become a subsidiary of Santa Maria in Organo, but in 1919 it returned to being an autonomous parish.