Next to the Cathedral is the Baptistery, considered the most important late antique monument in northwestern Italy. Its construction dates back to the late 5th and early 6th centuries, when Albenga was reorganizing its civil and ecclesiastical life.
The plan is octagonal, a symbol of eternity and rebirth. At the center, the original font, where baptisms were celebrated for centuries, still stands. Today, the font is located in a side chapel, but the building has retained its function, officially resuming in 1994.
The interior decoration is of extraordinary beauty: in the apse opposite the entrance, there are 5th-century mosaics with Christ's monogram, twelve doves, lambs, and a jeweled cross, clear references to the mystery of faith. Nearby are splendid early medieval carved slabs, featuring interlacing patterns, flowers, and Christian symbols.
Entering here, one senses the continuity of a history that spans the centuries: the same place, the same walls, the same water that has accompanied generations of believers.
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