Studi Veronesi (Oct 2018)
San Giovanni in Fonte in Verona and the earthquake of 1117
Abstract
As concerns the construction of the church of San Giovanni in Fonte in Verona, the baptistery of the Cathedral, historiography refers entirely to Giambattista Biancolini (18th century), who reported, without mentioning the source, that bishop Bernardo had the church rebuilt because it had been damaged by the earthquake in 1117. The document that supports this information has been found, i.e. a trial in 1207, where the various elements are confirmed, except for the link between the rebuilding of the church and the earthquake, which is not clearly explained as a cause-consequence chain, but only as a chronological relation. The two possible interpretations of this sentence are debated; although, given the current state of knowledge, at the moment it is not possible to prefer either: the interpretation by Biancolini and the hypothesis that Bernardo had San Giovanni in Fonte rebuilt not because of a material need, but perhaps out of a desire to reform, even visibly, the heart of the Church in Verona.
