Baptistery

The Church of Saint John the Baptist is located in Piazza Prampolini, in the town centre, and its original foundation dates back to 1040 or 1049. The building is characterized by a Latin cross layout, at the centre of which you can find the baptismal font.
Reggio Emilia
Baptistery

Address and contacts

Piazza Prampolini - 42121 Reggio nell'Emilia
+39 0522 402210 / 432654 (Ufficio Beni Culturali Curia)
udbce-re@libero.it
Girareggio

Opening times

Upon previous arrangement only or on the occasion of planned events

How to get there

The Baptistery is located in the town centre, next to the Cathedral. See the map above.

Historical notes

The Baptistry is 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 according to the Renaissance style: the façade where you can see the lunette, above the portal, with the carved Baptism of Christ, as link with the Bishop's Palace. Inside the building you can find the important fresco of the Baptism of Christ, by Francesco Caprioli in 1497/98, probably with the collaboration of Cesare Cesariano from Milan, for the architectural work and the baptismal font made of red marble of Verona with marble tile (1494). Outside the building, on the left hand column of the entrance, you can still see the old linear measures of the "braccio" (arm) and "pertica" (pole) used in trade. Recent restoration work has revealed much of the medieval structures which were unknown before 1984.