A new 3D scanning study of an ancient Verona chapel has revealed it was built in a free Greek cross shape, resolving a longstanding debate over the structure’s original design.
The chapel, known as the Sacellum of SS. Teuteria and Tosca, dates to between the mid-5th and early 6th centuries. Researchers say the finding places it in the same architectural family as a famous monument in Ravenna.
The study was led by Angelo Passuello of the University of Cyprus and appears in the journal Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage.
Laser scanners and drones map every corner of the chapel
Researchers used laser scanning, drone photography, and ground-based photo modeling to build a detailed digital copy of the chapel.
The team scanned the building’s interior, exterior, and an underground passage, producing a highly accurate 3D model. That model let them study the walls layer by layer and trace how the building changed over centuries.
The scans showed the chapel’s arms extend outward from a central lantern tower, with the roof and vaults resting directly on the outer walls. Experts call this a free Greek cross layout.
It differs from an inscribed Greek cross, where the arms sit inside a square frame, and the weight rests on internal pillars. The Greek cross plan found at the Verona chapel closely matches the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia in Ravenna, a monument built in the first half of the 5th century.
How the free Greek cross sets this Verona chapel apart
That connection matters because two other early Christian chapels in the region, one in Padua and one in Vicenza, were both built with the inscribed version of the design. The Verona chapel now stands apart from those buildings and closer to the Ravenna tradition instead.
The scans also uncovered construction history hidden beneath later renovations. Builders added four corner rooms, a new apse, and a set of brick arches during the 12th century, well after the chapel’s original construction.
Historical records show Bishop Ognibene consecrated the building in 1160 after discovering what were believed to be the remains of saints Teuteria and Tosca. Before that, the chapel may have been dedicated to Saint Apollinaris, the patron saint of Ravenna, strengthening the tie between the two cities.
Passuello and his colleagues say the finished 3D model will support future conservation work, structural monitoring, and virtual tours of areas normally closed to visitors, including the underground corridor.
The researchers describe the chapel as one of the best-preserved early Christian buildings still standing in northern Italy.
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