Baptistry of Biella, Religious structure in Biella, Italy

The Baptistry of Biella is a Romanesque building of local cobblestones mixed with brick, raised from the 9th century over a late-Roman pagan burial ground. Its square base carries a semicircular apse on each side, separated by four corner pillars that support an octagonal tiburium, topped by a slender bell lantern with biforas. The front apse replaces its central monofora with the entrance door, whose late-Roman relief was probably taken from the tombs below.

The Baptistry of Biella was built from the 9th century on the ruins of a late-Roman pagan burial ground and was enlarged in later phases. A Greek-cross crypt was dug beneath it in 1791. The late-Roman relief carved on the entrance stone, probably taken from the Roman tombs below, long led historians to think the whole building had been adapted from a pagan structure.

The building is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist and was used for baptism. Its main door carries a late-Roman stone relief of debated, pagan subject, probably taken from the Roman tombs beneath the site; it once led historians to think the whole structure had been adapted from a pagan building.

The baptistery stands in the city centre, wedged between Palazzo Oropa (the town hall) and the cathedral of Santo Stefano; its rear is visible from Via Italia, next to the church of the Santissima Trinità. The entrance door, set in the front apse where the central window would be, holds the late-Roman relief. A crypt carved in 1791 lies below ground level.

The relief carved on the entrance door is late Roman and pagan in subject, probably taken from the Roman tombs beneath the building. It led many historians to believe the whole baptistery had been converted from a pagan temple. The octagonal tiburio carries one small window per face, and a slender bell lantern with biforas tops the roof.