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Baptistry in Reggio Emilia

The Church of Saint John the Baptist. A singular 12th century building characterized by a Latin cross plan, with the baptismal font in the centre. At the end of the 15th century Bishop Arlotti transformed it into Renaissance style. Restoration work has revealed much of the medieval structures which were unknown before 1984. The original foundations date back to 1040 or 1049. The building is characterised by a Latin cross layaut, at the centre of which you can find the baptismal font. The changes made to the building at the end of the fifteenth century by the Bishop of Reggio Bonfrancesco Arlotti are worthy of note. The bishop was also responsible for bringing the facade (where you can see the lunette, above the portal, with the carved Baptism of Christ) up to date with the Renaissance and for the incorporation with the Bishop's Palace.

Inside the building you can find the important fresco of the Baptism of Christ, done by Francesco Caprioli in 1497/98 (probably with the collaboration of Cesare Cesariano from Lilano for the architectural work) and the baptismal font made of red marble of Verona an marble tile (1494). Outside the building , on the left hand column of the entrance you can still see the linera measures of the "braccio" (arm) and "pertica"(pole) which were the points of reference for measurements in commerce. This is where the old sayng, "San Giovanni fa vedere gli inganni" (Saint John shows you's ccheating) comes from.

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