Login — or — register

Church of St. John of Malta (Didier Descouens, Wikimedia Commons)

This interesting place of worship, in its history, belonged to no less than two Christian knightly religious orders: first, for two centuries, to the well-known Templar order and then to the Knights of Malta.
Although it has been stripped of many riches, the coats of arms and tombstones of several knights are still visible inside.

The name of the church was always linked to the votive saint (San Giovanni Battista), however the remaining denomination has varied over the course of history depending on the owners. It was founded between the 11th and 12th centuries (the first historical signs date back to 1119) and belonged together with the hospital to the Knights Templar, from which the nickname of San Giovanni del Tempio derived; two centuries later the order was abolished and the property passed to the Knights of Jerusalem, who were later renamed Knights of Malta from which the current name of the church derives.

This content is inside a paywall, and requires a subscription or registration.

Continue reading:

7,99€ per month, or 59€ per year

Invest in culture, in beauty, in a better future.
You can unsubscribe whenever you want.

Enjoy the full experience