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Church of St John in Val di Lago: the Renaissance ruin on the Via Francigena
Located a few miles from San Lorenzo Nuovo, amidst the fields sloping down toward the northern shore of Lake Bolsena, the ruins of the Church of San Giovanni in Val di Lago are worth a stop along the Via Francigena. It has been roofless since 1828, yet the walls of its Renaissance octagonal architecture - a rare form in this region - remain intact.
The Apparition and Construction
According to local tradition, on June 5, 1563, St John the Baptist appeared to a local boy, Nicola Pellegrini, requesting that a church be built in his honour. Construction lasted nearly thirty years, from 1563 to 1590, based on a design by Pietro Tartarino, a pupil of Alberto da Sangallo. The octagonal hall, flanked by a rectangular presbytery, was originally covered by a wooden dome. Fernando Fancelli, a Florentine sculptor, decorated the high altar with a stucco Baptism of Christ, which is still partially visible today.
From Church to Ruin
During the second half of the 18th century, the local population moved to the new town of San Lorenzo Nuovo, and the church was subsequently abandoned. In 1828 the roof, which had become unstable, was pulled down. Today, it stands as an open-air ruin, freely accessible to those travelling along the Francigena route.
