Church of San Giovanni and Reparata

Turn around so you don’t miss the Church of San Giovanni and Reparata, which served as the city’s first cathedral until the 8th century. The building you see today features a 12th century Romanesque structure, but the true uniqueness of this site lies beneath your feet. Archaeological excavations that began in 1969 uncovered an exceptional complex revealing more than 2000 years of history, and as you descend into the underground area you’ll be able to observe the remains of a Roman domus, an urban house, with its mosaics, as well as thermal baths dating from the 1st and 2nd centuries. Above these ancient structures appear the foundations of the first early Christian basilica dedicated to Santa Reparata, along with the Baptistery of San Giovanni, a testament to the early Christianisation of the city. This baptistery still preserves basins used for baptisms decorated with small pieces of marble cut into geometric shapes to create patterns, with each successive civilisation leaving their mark.