Sopra i luoghi sacri pagani i cristiani hanno costruito le loro chiese

Abstract

Where the ancient parish church of S. Giovanni in Campagna now stands,
there was previously a pagan sanctuary. The Templar complex is located in
the Municipality of Bovolone, in the province of Verona, and annexed to the
Church there is an external octagonal baptistery which indicates the possible
Lombard link of the San Giovanni complex. Of the primitive complex today
only the left apsidiole remain. some parts of the perimeter walls of the apse
and some areas of the baptistery.
The building seems to have been destroyed during an earthquake in 1117,
which caused serious damage throughout the Verona area.
Following this event, the church was entirely rebuilt, using partly material
recovered from the previous structure, and partly new material for the abbey
complex.
In the first quarter of 1500, the San Giovanni complex was affected by substantial
maintenance and renovation works.
The roof of the church was rebuilt, the main arch of the nave was built, the
bell tower was rebuilt and a new entrance was opened for the baptistery,
which was in turn covered and richly decorated inside with sixteenth-century
frescoes reproducing the life and martyrdom of St. John.
At the end of the 18th century, the Baptistery was enlarged by converting it
into an Oratory, but it was also decided to downgrade the church, reducing it
to a simple agricultural building.
A new building was then added to the oratory, intended for the functions
of presbytery, choir and small sacristy; while the church was renovated and
transformed partly into a barn and partly into a living space.
The conclusion of the last phase of restoration of the Pieve di San Giovanni
dates back to June 2002, following a campaign promoted by the Archaeological
Superintendence of Veneto which reconfirmed its archaeological importance.
The archaeological excavations carried out led to the discovery of the ancient
immersion baptismal font under the eighteenth-century flooring.
A discovery of considerable value, unique in all of northern Italy and probably
also in Italy of a testimony in an extra-urban environment.