- Religious Tourism
Provostal Church of San Giovanni Battista
At the top of a wide flight of steps, among statues of saints and a Baroque portal, the provostal church of San Giovanni Battista is the heart of Sottochiesa and one of the most art-rich churches in the valley.
History
The village's first church dates back to the 13th century; in 1478 a new building dedicated to Saint John the Baptist was built, consecrated on 14 October 1484. On 22 April 1494 it became an independent parish, today a provostship, separating from Sant'Ambrogio in Pizzino. In 1566 Saint Charles Borromeo found it «modest but decorous»; in 1612 the nobleman Bartolomeo Salvioni enriched it with new decorations. The building you see today was rebuilt between 1731 and 1736 and reconsecrated in 1911 by Bishop Giacomo Radini-Tedeschi.
What to see
- The two-tier façade, completed in 1940, with statues of Saint Ambrose, Saint Charles Borromeo, Saint Peter and Saint James in the niches.
- The altarpiece by Andrea Vicentino with the Virgin among Saints Francis, Roch and Cecilia, purchased in 1581 thanks to the Salvioni family.
- The altar of Our Lady of the Rosary, with the canvases of the Mysteries in the 1648 wooden ancona.
- The Milanese marble balustrades and the baptistery with its wooden shrine.
Good to know
- Next to the church stands the 18th-century rectory, which holds paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries.
Keep discovering the valley
In the heart of the village the Fidelitas Taleggii Column awaits you. From nearby Piazza Saint-Chaffrey start The Fairy Tale Trail and The villages of Sottochiesa and Pizzino.
