The first historical information about the Church of San Giovanni Battista (Assemini, Sardinia, Italy), dates back to 1107 AD when Torchitorio II, donates five domicilias to the Cathedral of San Lorenzo in Genoa, including Assemini, for having patrolled the coasts by Muslims. The rich set of marbles kept inside the church is datable, with relative safety, at the Middle Byzantine age. The church plan is a Greek cross inscribed in a square, with a pseudo dome at the intersection of the arms covered by a barrel vault. Internal rooms are connected to the four arms of the cross, through powerful arches, and are covered with wooden roofs. The fact of being inscribed in a square makes this church different from all the other Byzantine churches of Sardinia which show a cross-shaped planimetry. The original walls consist, for the most part, of square blocks of Cagliari limestone (e.g. pietra Cantone, pietra Forte). The facade presents a single-lighted bell tower, difficult to chronologically locate
Comments