The Parish church dedicated to San Vittore is situated in the centre of the village in front of the ancient Baptistery. It is mentioned in the year 976 as "basilica Sancti Victoris constructa infra castro Agredade" and donated by Otto I the Great to the San Giulio’s canons of the Isle of Orta. Therefore, the San Giulio’s canons are the lawful owners, but the church is subject to the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Novara. Later, in the late Middle Ages, it passes to the dependency of the Parish church of Suno. It has a nave and two aisles with oriented apse. It was widely reworked in the 17th century and in the beginning of the 20th; its interior keeps some ancient frescoes. The Baptistery, dedicated to Saint John, was assuredly consecrated between the years 1122 and 1148 during the Litifredo’s episcopate as some documentary evidences of the year 1157, in which the provost of San Giulio d’Orta declares to have attended its consecration, support. Rare example of Romanesque baptistery, San Giovanni of Agrate is formed by an irregularly round lower side and dominated by an octagonal upper level. Most of the scholars who studied the ancient monument believe that the lower side, realized with more roughly squared stones and herringbone layered cobbles, can be dated around the X century. It is also supposed that the higher level, made of carefully squared stones, was built in the XI-XII century; it is provided with high and narrow double embrasure single-lancet windows with a series of blind triple-lancet windows supported by little serizzo-stone columns that are arranged on each side and held a cornice of hanging archlets. Over the centuries, the building underwent several changes. In the 17th century, a porch was built up in front of the entrance, the north apsidiole was demolished and a square chapel was constructed. In its interior, an octagonal pool is fitted in the floor and a series of wall-paintings of the XV-XVI century decorate some arches and the dominating vault. In the course of the XX century, a succession of targeted restorations has brought the Baptistery to its original splendour.


Opening On application
Free admission