Another beautiful building very near the cathedral. Only saw the outside of it on this trip. Maybe will go inside on our next visit.
I love everything about the Battistero, its history, reference in literature, and the amazing mosaics on the ceiling.
Entrance is included with the Opera Del Duomo ticket and it was all well worth it.
The Bapistry at the Florence Duomo has so much history, I would like to narrow my focus to the "East doors" of the Bapistry. The doors were made by Lorenzo Ghiberti who won a contest to make the doors. The doors were so beautiful that they were referred to as the "Gates of Paradise".
In 1990, the original gates were removed and placed in the Duomo Museum ( " Musso dell'Opera del Duomo.) A replica of the "East Doors" replaced the originals of the "East Doors".
Remember, try to get all needed tickets especially for museums on line to save waiting in the ticket line.
It's just one room but it's lovely, with a 700 year old plus mural of religious motifs. It's a bit noisy despite the signage, but photogenic
The octagonal Battistero di San Giovanni (Baptistery of St. John) is one of the oldest buildings in Florence. It is located opposite the Duomo Cathedral (full name Santa Maria del Fiore) and Giotto's bell tower. This fascinating structure, combining faith, history and art, delights us with its harmony in accordance with the Duomo and Giotto's tower. It was built between the 11th and 12th centuries, and it was there until the end of the 19th century that all Florentine Catholics were baptized, like Dante Alighieri, and many famous Renaissance figures, including members of the Medici family. According to the style of construction it belongs to Florentine Romanesque architecture. Of her beauties, we would single out three front doors that show a biblical theme - the south door was made by Andrea Pisano, north and east by Lorenzo Ghiberti. For the east door Michelangelo used the term "Gate of Paradise". There is a copy today, while the original is kept in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo. The gates of Paradise consist of 10 fields, depicting the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, as Moses receives the 10 Commandments of God, until the fall of the city of Jericho and the battle with the Philistines. The interior of the Baptistery is richly decorated, the ceiling is decorated with a beautiful mosaic of gold, one part of which depicts the Last Judgment, which had a great influence on Dante when writing his Divine Comedy.
