Cripta di San Giovanni in Conca

The Cripta di San Giovanni in Conca is what remains of an antique, early-Christian church situated within the city walls of a residential district in Milan.

In 1162 it was destroyed by Federico Barbarossa. It was rebuilt and became part of the XIV century residence of the Visconti family and Bernabò Visconti wanted to use it as a Mausoleum for himself and his wife Regina della Scala.

After that moment, the church was donated by Francesco Sforza to the Carmelite Friars in 1531. They equipped the church with a high belfry which, in 1810, became a meteorological observatory.

At that time, the church had been deconsecrated by the Austrians and had other scopes: barracks, workshop, and warehouse.

In 1873, so as to allow the actuation of a regulatory plan which allowed the construction of via Mazzini, the church was shortened hence eliminating the initial spans, and then sold to the Valdesi family that used the facade of the church to built their Temple in via Francesco Sforza.

This complex situation came to an end in 1949 when the church was definitely destroyed.

Nowadays only the crypt remains to testify to the happenings of the past.

The name San Giovanni in Conca was given due to a land depression (conca) on which, it is presumed, a nymphaeum existed. In other words, a building with a large basin equipped with fountains.