In the heart of beautiful Albenga, a city that very well combines evidence of the past with its current role as a major tourist destination, stands the Baptistery of Albenga. This ancient building, dating from the 5th-6th centuries, represents a monument of inestimable historical value, a tangible symbol of the transition from Antiquity to the Middle Ages in the West.
The origins of Albenga
Before exploring the baptistery, it is essential to understand the historical roots of Albenga. The city has a history that stretches back more than a millennium, founded by the Ingauni, a Ligurian tribe, with the earliest traces of growth dating back to the 2nd and 1st centuries BC. However, it was from the 4th century AD onward that Albenga assumed a role of growing importance.
During this period, the Roman Empire faced an internal crisis, but coastal cities emerged as strengths, being better defensible against barbarian threats. These barbarians came from Eastern Europe and had no maritime tradition, which left the dominance of the Mediterranean Sea firmly in Roman hands until the arrival of the Arabs in the 7th century. Albenga, therefore, remained a city of great importance between the 5th and 6th centuries, maintaining its vitality under Roman control.
The Late Ancient Albenga
Although the historic center of Albenga is steeped in medieval atmosphere, the streets we travel today are direct traces of Roman times. They are a clever elaboration of the typical orthogonal layout of the time, strengthened with new walls thanks to the intervention of General Constantius. This general, who would also become emperor, lived at the turn of the fourth and fifth centuries AD.
Constantius distinguished himself for both his military prowess and political astuteness, contributing significantly to the restoration of the Empire after the traumatic sack of Rome by Alaric’s Visigoths in 410 AD.
This sacking of Rome had profoundly shaken the foundations of the Empire and led to numerous reflections, including the famous “De civitate Dei” written by St. Augustine, in which he addressed the accusations made against Christians for weakening Rome. Against this critical backdrop, General Constantius took matters into his own hands and succeeded in re-establishing Roman control in Italy, holding off the Visigoths who had destroyed Albenga. The future emperor was celebrated by the locals as the advocate of the town’s rebirth.
Testimonies of the time
The gem of Albenga’s Roman past is its center, where the cathedral and the nearby Baptistery are located. The latter is one of the most important early Christian buildings preserved in northern Italy, thanks to its structure that has remained surprisingly intact over the centuries, despite inevitable restorations, modifications and renovations.
The building of the Baptistery of Albenga clearly reveals the architectural styles of the 5th and 6th centuries. Its construction is not the result of a single intervention, but rather of a series of phases of development, with the first phase coinciding with Constantius’ strengthening of Albenga. This initial phase marks the rebirth of the city after the devastating passage of the Visigoths.
The Baptistery of Albenga
The Baptistery, being dedicated to the sacrament of baptism, assumes a central role in the religious life of the Christian community, marking the beginning of the spiritual journey of believers. In this structure, ancient Christians celebrated the first of the sacraments, a gateway to all the others.
The Baptistery of Albenga is a precious and well-preserved testimony to the late antique age, a tangible symbol of Albenga’s resilience through historical challenges. Visiting this extraordinary monument is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the history of this fascinating Ligurian city and to appreciate its rich cultural heritage.
The influence of the Ambrosian model
The Baptistery of Albenga, with its octagonal shape, is part of the so-called “Ambrosian model” of ecclesiastical architecture. This model, which originated in Milan, included a geometric organization based on the octagon, a number that has deep symbolic roots related to baptism. People have always associated baptism with the image of the universal flood, which is a kind of depiction of salvation. The story goes that Noah and his wife and sons and their respective wives had entered the Ark. Eight people who will be the beginning of the new humanity. This is just one of the examples that we associate the number eight with the rite of baptism.
Inside the Baptistery, the octagonal structure is further developed with a series of niches, alternating between semicircular and rectangular shapes, arranged in groups of four. This architectural scheme is known as “Ambrosian” in honor of its presence in the baptistery next to the cathedral of Santa Tecla in Milan, the most important city in northern Italy at that time. The Baptistery of Albenga, while following this pattern, has some peculiarities that make it a unique testimony to its era.
An irregular structure
However, when we closely examine the Albenga Baptistery, we notice a remarkable irregularity in its structure. While the Milan model followed a regular geometry with orthogonal axes, the Albenga model appears lopsided, with ten sides instead of the eight expected for a geometric octagon. This irregularity reflects the challenges faced by the builders in trying to translate ideal geometry into a concrete structure. It is a sign of a certain crisis in the ability to manage architectural designs, a characteristic of some phases of the late ancient world that became more pronounced in the early Middle Ages.
The interior of the Baptistery
Inside the Baptistery, a large and impressive space opens up, dominated by a large baptismal font. The layered walls tell the complex and troubled history of this building, which has gone through many phases of renovation and architectural changes. However, the focal point of the interior is its unique roof. Eight columns, placed at the corners of the octagon, support an exposed roof. This roof, originally considered unoriginal, was the focus of a historical error during the renovations conducted by Alfredo D’andrade in 1901.
The wrong restoration
This renowned scholar, although he performed major restorations in his lifetime, made an error of judgment in the case of Albenga. This was in the year 1900, and the baptistery had an angular, stone masonry roof. Following his careful analyses and correspondence exchanges with colleagues, D’andrade mistakenly considered the masonry roof as a late medieval addition. Consequently, in 1901, he obtained permission to demolish it. Unfortunately, this covering was actually original, from the second half of the 6th century when the baptistery of Albenga underwent a major phase of restoration in which the original covering was replaced. So D’andrade was not entirely wrong. The first cover was probably a wooden roof with an exposed roof that was replaced instead with a masonry cover, which was what D’andrade had removed in 1901. Some of the amphorae that adorned this roof have been preserved and can still be seen inside the Baptistery.
The second phase of the Baptistery - The 6th Century
The second half of the sixth century marked a crucial phase in the history of the Baptistery of Albenga. During this period, the building underwent major architectural and decorative renovations. Until then, the Baptistery lacked significant decoration, but it now received an important addition: a mosaic apparatus that covered the front niche, the most prominent part of the building. This mosaic represents a milestone in the history of the Baptistery, as it gave a new visual identity to the building. Although it was believed that the mosaic should have extended to other niches, this extension was never realized.
As we have already explained, during this work, the original roof was replaced with a masonry vault, thus completing the Byzantine-era construction phase of the Baptistery. This represented the culmination of the Byzantine-era construction phase of the Albenga Baptistery, which had deep connections with the religious history of the time and the presence of the Milanese ecclesiastical authorities in Liguria.
The context of the 6th century in northern Italy
The 6th century represented a period of profound change in northern Italy. The Roman Empire was disappearing, and Italy was being invaded by the Lombards, a Germanic population that conquered much of the territory. This geopolitical change was a determining factor in the evolution of the Albenga Baptistery. After the Lombard conquest, the archbishops of Milan sought refuge in Genoa, taking their ecclesiastical authority with them. Liguria became a bastion of Catholic and Byzantine resistance against the Lombard advance, and the Baptistery of Albenga reflects this tumultuous history.
The Mosaic of the Baptistery of Albenga
The mosaic adorning the Baptistery of Albenga is a true artistic masterpiece. The cobalt blue tiles recreate a starry sky, while in the center of the vault stands out a symbolic image with twelve doves arranged in a circle, evoking the twelve apostles. The Chi Rho emblem, the monogram of Christ, is also featured in the mosaic. It is created in a progressive shaded manner to give a feeling of movement and depth. Next to Chi Rho are the letters alpha and omega, symbols of the beginning and the end, a reminder of Christ’s triune identity.
The mosaic plays a crucial role in the affirmation of the Catholic faith and opposition to the Arian heresy of the Lombards, who did not recognize the divinity of Christ and, consequently, the Trinity. The inscription below recalls the relics kept in the Baptistery, including the names of Gervasius and Protasius, Milanese saints. This connection with the Milanese Church that took refuge in Liguria during the Lombard era further reinforces the central role of the Baptistery in the religious context of the time.
Information for your visit to the Baptistery of Albenga.
In conclusion, the Baptistery of Albenga is more than just a building. It is a living testimony to late antique art and architecture, a monument that through its architectural irregularities and historical evolutions tells a complex and fascinating story. Its connection with Milan, its presence in the historical context of 6th-century northern Italy, and its rich mosaic make it an essential place for those who wish to immerse themselves in the fascinating history of Liguria.
Museo Diocesano di Albenga (SV) e Battistero Paleocristiano
Via Episcopio, 9
Opening hours:
TUESDAY TO SUNDAY: 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
MONDAYS BY RESERVATION ONLY.
CLOSING DAYS.
Easter, Assumption (Tuesday, August 15), Christmas (Monday, December 25).
Tickets:
Full ticket
Combined Museum and Baptistery: 10.00 €.
Museum only: 8.00 €.
Baptistery only: 6.00 €.
