PIAZZA ARMERINA ENNA DOOR SAN GIOVANNI BATTISTA

Porta San Giovanni Battista years ' 20

The third door of square, less than 200 metres from that "Scattiola" is the one that takes its name from the Church, then became commandery, of Saint John the Baptist.
In fact, before the Commenda, around the year 1100, there was already a small church of St. John the Baptist, built on a former dedicated to our Lady of succour in the neighborhood, called, del Soccorso.
Half a century later, the Knights Hospitallers of Jerusalem, began the construction of the Commenda-Hospice where to accommodate people in need of care and temporarily closed, especially the Knights of direct passage to the Holy land.

The order of the Knights Templar was suppressed in 1308 and all their assets to the Knights Hospitallers and in 1420, respecting the legacy of John junior de Caldarera, Baron of Camemi, Knights establish the commandery-Precettoria of St John the Baptist dè Caldarera, with tasks to administer the assets and propagate the religion of the Hospitallers in order of recruitment among young people of Placie.

The Commandery was for centuries a strategic reference point of vital importance, especially in the defense of the walls and the door, on the eastern side of the city. Just a few meters outside the walls, around the 15th century, existed on St John the Baptist cemetery, where was built the Church of Santo Stefano.

In 1740 he was transferred from the mountain, the orphanage of "s. Maria degli Angeli" (former Virgin retrieval poor) who took the name of "St John the Baptist Retreat of Rhodes" and withdrawal of Donato. The port of Saint John the Baptist was demolished in 1848 for the extension of the "Prince Road" (now via Garibaldi) and the two statues of St. Andrew Avelllino and s. Gaetano (respectively II and III joint Patron Saint of the city), which were on the sides of the door, were placed in front of the Church of San Lorenzo or the Theatines.

In this way the city opened towards the Botteghelle, starting the next expansion.

PIAZZA ARMERINA ENNA DOOR SAN GIOVANNI BATTISTA

GAETANO MASUZZO, Piazza Armerina