Baptistry of Santa Maria Maggiore, Early Christian baptistry in Nocera Superiore, Italy

The Baptistry of Santa Maria Maggiore, known as La Rotonda, is a circular brick and stone building with a diameter of 24 metres and a dome about 15 metres high, now covered by a tiled conical roof. Inside, fifteen pairs of columns in green cipollino, Aleppo breccia and Numidian yellow marble support the dome. At the centre stands an octagonal baptismal font, 7.12 metres across, the second largest in Italy after San Giovanni in Laterano.

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.