Chiesa di San Giovannello, Gothic church in Ortygia, Syracuse, Italy.
Chiesa di San Giovannello is a church in Ortygia, the historic center of Syracuse, built in a medieval style. The structure displays characteristic Gothic features including pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and stone masonry typical of medieval religious buildings in Sicily.
The church stands on a 4th-century early Christian basilica built on the orders of Bishop Germano. The present structure dates to 1380, with a 15th-century portal and a rose window left misaligned with the facade's apex by later alterations, including 18th-century work. It has always been called "prima post episcopalem", first after the cathedral, as vicar general A. Casaccio officially attested in 1781.
The church is still consecrated and open for worship as a rectory of the Parish of San Giovanni Battista all'Immacolata. Mass is celebrated on Saturdays, and the feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist on 23 and 24 June is the church's main occasion. The 15th-century portal, rose window and facade apex are deliberately misaligned, a visible trace of the 18th-century alterations.
The church is located on Ortygia island at Piazza del Precursore and can be reached on foot by following the historic streets of the old town. As an active parish church, visiting hours may vary with services, so it is advisable to check beforehand when it is open for visitors.
The two roofless bell cells on the left side once held bells cast in the 19th and 20th centuries. The larger was melted down during the First World War; the smaller was lent in 1920 to the nearby church of Santa Maria della Concezione.
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