San Giovanni in Ayno, Former church in Via di Monserrato, Rome, Italy
San Giovanni in Ayno is a former church building on Via di Monserrato featuring a basilica layout and a stone portal bearing an inscription about its reconstruction by Giusto Bonanni di San Geminiano. The structure was later repurposed and today contains residential apartments and ground-floor shops.
The building first appeared in papal documents in 1186 as an affiliate of San Lorenzo in Damaso and operated as a parish church until 1824. For more than 600 years it served as a center of worship and community life in this quarter.
The former church served as the seat of the Confraternity of Prayer and Death from 1552 to 1571, during which time the brotherhood sponsored significant renovations. This confraternity shaped the spiritual life of the neighborhood and left visible marks on the building's structure.
The location sits at the intersection of Via di Monserrato and Piazza de' Ricci, making it easy to find. Since the building is now privately owned with no public opening hours, visitors can mainly view the facade from outside.
In 2013, workers discovered a large 1728 painting of Saint John the Evangelist by Giovanni Conca hidden within the walls during renovation work. The artwork had remained invisible for over 100 years, forgotten by the city and largely unknown to the public.
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