Church of Saint John the Evangelist, Gothic church in Brescia, Italy

The Church of Saint John the Evangelist is a Gothic church in Brescia with a red-brick and white-stone facade, a Romanesque bell tower and a Latin-cross interior of three naves divided by five stone pillars per side. The polygonal apse is the only structural element left untouched by later rebuilds; the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, rebuilt in 1509, holds frescoes and canvases by Romanino and Moretto.

Saint Gaudentius, Bishop of Brescia from 390, founded the Concilium Sanctorum here, consecrated in 400 or 402; destroyed by barbarians, it was rebuilt and dedicated to Saints John the Baptist and Evangelist. After fires in 1096 and 1144, rebuilding began in 1151, and in 1173 the church became a parish with a hospital. A further reconstruction in 1440-47 added two cloisters and gave the church to the Canons Regular of San Salvatore of Venice; Baroque work from 1651 by Girolamo Quadri erased the Gothic interior.

The Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament displays works by Moretto and Romanino that illustrate biblical scenes. These paintings shaped how worshippers experienced and understood sacred stories within the church.

Access to the interior is available during opening hours, allowing visitors to explore the architecture, artworks, and various chapels. It is advisable to wear comfortable shoes and allow time to walk through the three naves and side areas.

The four original organ shutters, painted by Moretto, now hang on the presbytery walls: one on the left and three on the right. They are the painted panels that once closed the instrument, displayed separately from it.