Baptistery of San Giovanni

A popular place among tourists is the Baptistery of San Giovanni, located in Florence. This is almost the oldest building in the city, which is its pearl. A baptistery is an extension to a church or even a separate building intended for baptism.

It was built in the fifth century, but acquired its familiar modern appearance between the eleventh and twelfth centuries. At the top, the building has the shape of an octagon with a protruding entrance. Three architects were engaged in its construction in turn: Arnolfo di Cambio, Giotto, Andrea Pisano. In the 9th-19th centuries, all local residents were baptized here, and a sacred spring is located near the wall especially for this. The poet Dante was also baptized here, he mentioned this place in his Divine Comedy.

Architecture of the Baptistery of San Giovanni

The gates, of which there are three (northern, southern and eastern), are worthy of special attention. These are huge bronze doors that took more than a hundred years to make. The south gate was designed by Andrea Pisano. Doors consist of twenty-eight panels. To create the northern gate, a whole competition was announced, which lasted a whole year. A jury of 34 judges had to choose the one who would be entrusted with the creation of the southern doors. The winner was Lorenzo Ghiberti. The northern gate is designed in the same style as the southern one.

Ghiberti worked on the most famous eastern gate together with his son Vittore. Double doors are divided into ten squares. White and green marble were chosen as the main material, maintaining the same style with other buildings in the city.

The most famous masters of that time worked on the interior of the Baptistery of San Giovanni, and thanks to the restoration and careful attitude, modern tourists can touch a piece of the past. The interior itself is simple, elegant and beautiful, does not contain frills. Columns and frescoes are visible everywhere. The marble dome is decorated with the famous Byzantine mosaic, which is very popular with tourists (especially the fresco "Jesus with angels"). Combining faith, history and art, this fascinating structure has given scholars much food for thought regarding its dating.

The inhabitants of Florence in the Middle Ages believed that the Baptistery of San Giovanni was an ancient building built in Roman times, a pagan temple turned into a church. And in fact, most of the marble facing of the baptistery - along with numerous ancient fragments and inscriptions - does come from the ruins of Roman Florence, quite possibly from a pagan temple.

Information for visiting the Baptistery of San Giovanni

If you happen to visit Italy or even specifically Florence, then you simply must visit this place. A huge number of visitors come to the Baptistery of San Giovanni every day, because the ticket costs only 5 euros, and the Baptistery itself is open from 8:30 to 14:00 on Sundays and from 11:15 to 19:00 on all other days of the week. It is simply impossible to miss this place. Many specially go to Florence just for the sake of it, it will not be difficult to get to it, and it is its main attraction.