Chiesa di San Giovanni in Foro

The church, rose on the ancient roman street Decumano Massimo, confined to the Forum which gave the name to the building and for which it was also called cathedral.

In 1172 the church was badly damaged by a fire which burnt down most of Verona. This explains the marble triptich inscription on an externall wall telling how in that year “combusta est civitas Verone”.

The roman made walls were discovered in 1905 during some maintenance repairing works, by  the municipality, outside the church along  Corso Porta Borsari.

Following some advice of the provost in charge, the entire wall was scraped and that’s how  another wall appeared beneath, made by layers of tuff and pebbles laid down in a fishbone way and with a cathedral-window. Outside we see a marble grave with cross and crests and a triptych ovelaid. The bell tower is in fired bricks: the base is of the 1300s while the upper part is more recent.

Inside we can see a Madonna col Bambino, a bas-relief signed by Maestro Pulia for the view of the 13th century. The little renaissance portal is considered the Jewel of the church and it was made by Gerolamo Giolfino. At both sides of the arch and on top are the statues of Saints Giovanni Evangelista, Pietro and Giovanni Battista, and in a niche we can see the fresco by Nicola Giolfino showing San Giovanni on Patmos island.