Church of San Giovanni Battista (Acquasanta Terme)

History of the Church of San Giovanni Battista

Its origins are older than the building seen today: as early as the 11th century the church had been donated to the monks of Farfa. A document from 1580 describes it as 14.50 meters long and 7 wide. The 16th-century bell tower was built between 1583 and 1589. It was then demolished in 1811 and replaced by the present one, which has three bells.

In the 18th century the church was decorated and the apse was built. In 1880 the choir loft was built, and in 1886 the organ was installed. Between 1894 and 1908 came the new white and pink stone floor, the new high altar, the white stone balustrade and a small iron gate in the presbytery. The facade was altered during the same work. The church was consecrated on September 16, 1895. The current terracotta floor dates from around 1980. Between 2010 and 2014 the roof and gutters were redone.

What to see in the Church of San Giovanni Battista

The interior has a single nave with small side chapels. Here are the statues of the patron saint, St. John the Baptist, and the co-patron, Santa Eurosia. Above the main entrance is the choir loft with the organ.

The works include two paintings by Giulio Cantalamessa, the Madonna del Rosario (Our Lady of the Rosary) and the Madonna di Loreto. The church also has terracotta altars. The painted decorations of the vaults and apse are by Nicola Dimitri di Treia. The parish also keeps a relic of the Baptist.

How to visit the Church of San Giovanni Battista

The church is still an active place of worship. The feast of the patron saints, St. John the Baptist and Santa Eurosia, culminates on June 24 and 25 with Mass and a procession.

The 2016 earthquakes struck the entire territory of Acquasanta Terme, and some monuments in the area may be damaged or closed. Before setting out, it is therefore advisable to ask the parish or the Comune (town hall) for information.

Where the Church of San Giovanni Battista is located

The church is in the historic center of Acquasanta Terme, in the upper part of the town. The municipality lies along the Via Salaria, where the Garrafo stream flows into the Tronto. In the past the building stood apart from the settlement. Today it is fully absorbed into the town.

Around the Church of San Giovanni Battista in Acquasanta Terme

In the center of Acquasanta Terme there is also the circular church of Santa Maria Maddalena, from the 14th century. It holds a Magdalene, an 18th-century painting by Cardi da Cagli. A short distance from the town stands Castel di Luco, a medieval fortress with an elliptical plan, damaged by the 2016 earthquake. Acquasanta has been known for its thermal waters since the age of Augustus. Other churches in the area are gathered on the page churches of the Sibillini Mountains.