Church of San Giovanni

A sacred art gallery in the heart of Alba

After the Cathedral of San Lorenzo and the now-defunct Santa Maria del Ponte, San Giovanni Battista is the oldest church in Alba. It gave its name to the city's third district, and medieval documents mention it as a church serving the Cathedral; few images and archival documents remain of its origins.
In 1556, it was granted to the Augustinian Fathers; in the 18th century, a portico and clock were added, and the church was enriched with artworks. During the Napoleonic era, the Augustinians abandoned it, and the building was used as a warehouse.

With the Restoration (1819), the parish priest Michele Travaglio resumed the pastoral care of souls and initiated restorations and new furnishings, also recovering works from demolished churches. In the 19th century, major interventions were carried out on the choir and façade, and in 1884, the nave was raised to its current façade and coffered ceiling. In recent decades, renovations have been made, such as the adaptation of the presbytery, the resurfacing of the floor with heating, and some restorations of the church and rectory.

Visions of art

Guided tours with a narration and visualized in 360° virtual reality and in 3D, thanks to the digitization of all the works of art and the structure of the building.

Guided tours are available upon reservation by writing to info@sangiovannialba.it .