Church of San Giovanni Battista (Sellano)

History of the Church of San Giovanni Battista

The church was built between 1300 and 1600. The buttresses at the corners and the exterior show that the building has been rebuilt several times, after as many earthquakes.

After the most recent earthquake damage, the church was the subject of studies and work. It was chosen as a pilot case for applying base seismic isolation, with an underpinning system that respected the original features as much as possible. Today it has been fully restored after the latest earthquakes.

What to see in the Church of San Giovanni Battista

On the outside, note the gabled facade and, at the back, the rebuilt sacristy. A bell gable and a small chapel on the right side are also attached to the main body.

Inside, the wooden roof has two pitches. On the right wall are a Madonna and Child between St. Sebastian and St. Anthony of Padua, from 1515, and St. Sebastian with St. Roch, from 1555. On the side of the arch are an Angelo Conciliatore (Reconciling Angel) and, above it, the Beheading of St. John the Baptist. The altarpiece depicts a Crucifixion, while the left side of the arch shows the Baptism of Jesus. On the left wall remain a barely legible Madonna and Child, half-hidden by a confessional, and a Holy Bishop.

How to visit the Church of San Giovanni Battista

Although the church is inside the cemetery complex, it has an entrance outside the cemetery and is usually open. Since it is a small hamlet church, it is advisable to check accessibility before setting out. The frescoes are very faded, so they need careful viewing.

Where the Church of San Giovanni Battista is located

The church is in Apagni, in the municipality of Sellano, in the province of Perugia. Apagni is one of the smaller villages merged with Sellano, together with Postignano, Cammoro, Orsano and Montesanto, because they did not have enough inhabitants to remain administratively independent.

Around the Church of San Giovanni Battista in Sellano

The territory of Sellano also includes the Abbazia di San Nicolò di Acquapremula, the Lago di Vigi with the Le Rote waterfalls and the castle of Cammoro. In Pupaggi, a village that grew up in the 14th century on the plateau of the same name, are the Chiesa di San Sebastiano and a dovecote tower. Other places of worship in the area are on the page about the churches of the Sibillini Mountains.