Baptistry of Santa Maria Maggiore, Early Christian baptistery in Nocera Superiore, Italy
The Baptistry of Santa Maria Maggiore is a circular early Christian religious building with two rows of 15 columns supporting arches and enclosing an octagonal baptismal font at its center. The architectural layout follows the typical pattern of early Christian baptisteries.
The building was constructed in the 6th century and used columns made of Pentelic marble salvaged from ancient temples. This reuse of older materials shows the early practice of incorporating classical building stones into new religious structures.
The building shows early Christian building traditions by combining elements from Roman and Byzantine architecture. This blend reflects how new religious practices absorbed older construction techniques.
The site is located on Via Santa Maria Maggiore in Nocera Superiore and can be reached by public transportation. Visitors should check beforehand if the building is open and be aware of any access requirements.
The columns come from different ancient sources and vary in shape, height, and material from one another. These differences result from reusing stones from several classical buildings at different locations.
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