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Church of St John and Palazzo Sforza in Acquapendente: two buildings unified
The Church of San Giovanni and Palazzo Sforza stand side by side in the historic center of Acquapendente, in the province of Viterbo. The church has stood there since 1149, one of the oldest religious buildings in the town. The palazzo came almost four centuries later, in 1535, commissioned by Ascanio Sforza. From the street they look like a single block, and over time that is exactly what they became.
From noble palace to convent
In 1617 the Friars Minor Observant acquired Palazzo Sforza and turned it into a convent, incorporating the Church of San Giovanni. From that point on the two buildings were never separated. In the 19th century the complex underwent structural alterations, like many sacred buildings in the area, and its function changed: from convent to seminary.
From seminary to retirement home
Today the complex houses a retirement home for the elderly — a church consecrated in the 12th century transformed into a place of care. And yet, walking past it, you would never suspect any of this — the façade gives no hint of any of these transformations.
