MONTEROSSO, Church Of San Giovanni Battista - Ai Voice

The construction of the Church of San Giovanni Battista, a splendid example of Ligurian Gothic architecture, began in 1282 and was completed around 1307, thanks to the work of the Maestri Antelami, Lombard stonemasons who left numerous examples of their craftsmanship throughout Liguria. The church stands in an area that was already of strategic importance to the community in medieval times, and it is no coincidence that next to it rises the old Genoese watchtower, later transformed into a bell tower.

The exterior immediately captures attention with its gabled façade made of alternating horizontal bands of white marble and dark serpentine stone — a decorative motif typical of Ligurian churches. At the center opens a large, finely carved marble rose window, attributed to the school of Carrara masters, who were renowned for their exceptional marble work. Below it, a pointed marble portal framed by a decorated arch leads into the central nave. The lateral bell tower, of military origin, still preserves the austere appearance of a medieval watchtower....