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I know, I know... You've seen 100 churches in Italy and is This One going to be any different? No. Not really. But!!! It's the baptistery and dedicated to your homeboy Saint John. And if you get a ticket to climb the tower or the dome in the baptistery, you get to cut the line for the Cathedral, which is free. Plus, dude, this is what you're here for. You're here to see all of the gorgeous antiquity.
The Baptistery of San Giovanni, one of the most ancient churches in Florence, sits opposite the city's cathedral, the church of Santa Maria del Fiore. I got to know, places like this, they always have 3 buildings. Duomo, Baptistery and some kind of tower (Example- Pisa, where they have the leaning tower of Pisa, Piazza del Duomo & Baptistery). As you enter the building, your attention is immediately drawn by the precious mosaics in the dome the mosaics are dominated by the huge figure of Christ in Judgement, with scenes from the Last Judgement occupying three of the dome's eight segments. The horizontal registers superimposed in layers tell the stories of St. John the Baptist, the patron saint of Florence, of Jesus, of Joseph and of the Creation of the World. The Angelic Hosts occupy the highest register of all, in the center of the dome. The other main sight in the cathedral complex is the bronze doors on the Baptistery call the "Gates of Paradise". While undoubtedly impressive, these are actually replicas, the actual doors having been moved inside the Duomo Museum for conservation purposes. Michelangelo called the name actually Gates of Paradise, is fully Renaissance masterpiece of Ghiberti and his assistants
Being in Florence for a limited time we had to prioritize what we wanted to see versus the "cost" (time waiting in line) of the attraction. We spent a lot of time admiring the Duomo exterior, but could not justify a multihour line to see the interior. However, the nearby Baptistery of St. John was another story. With our admission ticket, amazingly at lunchtime there were only a handful of people in line to get in, so in we went! Beautiful interior with amazing art on the ceiling, walls and everywhere you look. Above you Jesus is giving a thumbs up/thumbs down at Judgment Day. We enjoyed a quiet, peaceful time admiring the beauty here, a brief respite from the intense crowds outside. The exterior is quite unique with its symbolic octagon shape. The famous bronze doors are a must-see (the originals are in the nearby Duomo museum). We found the baptistery exterior easier to admire in the evening, as is true with the Duomo and associated sights, as the crowds are greatly diminished.
As part of a combination package which includes the Florence Cathedral, Campanille di Grotto, Museum, Santa Reparata and the Battistero si San Giovanni, the Bapistry is not the featured attraction. The combination ticket can be purchased in person or online for 18 Euros. Be aware that there can be long lines or not. The Bapistry was by most historical accounts originally a Roman Temple celebrating the the Roman God of War "Mars". The first version of the Bapistry occured between the 4th-5th century (CE). An expansion came in the 13th century which rendered the building to its present state. The architectural style is uniquely Florentine Romanesque. It must be remembered that baptisms took place outside the church before Medieval times because a newborn was considered to possess original sin before baptism. Battistero di San Giovanni is built in an octagonal design. The number 8 is significant as the number represents 6 days of creation, 1 day of rest and 1 day of recreation through baptism. The outer walls are made of white Carrara and Green Prato marble which is quite striking. Perhaps most striking are the tree double doors. The southern door is the oldest and depicts the life of John the Baptist and the 8 virtues. The work is attributed to Andrea Pisano. The north door is the next oldest and depicts scenes from the New Testament. This door and the east door are attributed to Lorenzo Ghiberti. The est door depicts scenes from the Old Testament. The high lights of the interior are a mosaic of Christ in Judgement on the center dome. Right thumb-up those that go to heaven, Left thumb-down those that go to eternal damnation. There is a statue of St. John the patron Saint of Florence and a baptismal fountain. All can be seen in less than an hour. The interior space is confined with a center isle that everyone traverses through. It is also quite dark so bring a low light camera so that you do not end up with blurred images as I did. The east door is called the "Gates of Paradise" named by Michelangelo. The originals are in the Duomo Museum. Flora (the goddess of textile and agriculture is depicted as a lily or iris. The named Florence derives from Flora the goddess.
In the time of medieval and Renaissance Europe baptisms took place outside churches. According to the Christian tradition humankind was born with original sin. Due to the presence of original sin people who weren't baptized weren't allowed to enter churches. In the process of baptism, the acceptance of Jesus and his sacrifice eliminate the original sin in the infant, which then allows the infant to enter the church. Historically everyone in Florence would be baptized here. While baptisms still occur to this day, nowadays the baptistery is known as a historical site. The Baptistery is one of Florence's oldest buildings. There once stood a Roman temple dedicated to Mars, the god of old Florence. Then the Christians had to ruin a good thing and "convert" this pagan building, using the ruins of the former temple to build the first version of the building in the 4th or 5th century. The new building was named after St. John the Baptist, now the patron saint of Florence. An expansion in the 11th century renders this building in its present state. Admission to the Baptistery is included with your standard €18 ticket that covers the Duomo sights excluding the cathedral (which itself is free) within a 72-hour period. Though there can be a line outside the line isn't as long as the cathedral (which has no ticket). As I have stated on other Duomo-related reviews it's highly recommended to spread your visits out on different days as to maximize your sightseeing time and minimize the information overload. POINTS OF SIGNIFICANCE 1. Exterior - The octagon shape is similar to other baptisteries and is symbolic of the role of baptism as a sacrament of initiation: six days of creation, a day of rest and the eight day of recreation through baptism. - The walls were built from slabs of white Carrara and green Prato marble. - The most significant feature of the exterior are the presence of three bronze doors on the south, north and east ends. The south door is the oldest and contains scenes from the life of John the Baptist along with the eight virtues. The north doors are the next oldest and depict scenes from the New Testament. They were made by Lorenzo Ghiberti after winning a competition. Due to his success he was then commissioned to create the last set of doors on the east end, which depict scenes from the Old Testament. Michelangelo once said these doors were the "gates of paradise", a name that persists today. [Note that the doors in the Baptistery are copies. The originals are housed inside the Duomo Museum]. 2. Interior The baptismal font is not really all that spectacular but the most significant structures are everything but the font. The floor evokes images of Islamic art, the interior walls are reminiscent of the Pantheon while the dome contains a mosaic highly influenced by Byzantine art. The most famous part of the ceiling depicts the Last Judgement. It depicts Jesus literally judging souls, gesturing the righteous with this right hand towards salvation while ushering those near his left hand towards eternal damnation. From Jesus' POV it looks like he's doing a thumbs-up/thumbs-down motion. With the exception of the Santa Reparata crypt, I recommend visiting all the sights included in your Duomo admission as the whole story of the cathedral can't be told with just a visit to the cathedral. The baptistery, bell tower and dome also hold important significance and the museum houses many of the cathedral's original artifacts for perseverance. Unlike the Uffizi or Accademia this can be visited quickly, and I used this visit as a break between visiting the main 2 art galleries of the city. Finally it has to be said: be mindful of proper attire before entering.
The Florence Baptistery or Baptistery of Saint John is another stunning architectural masterpiece in Florence. One of the oldest buildings in Florence, built in the 1000s! Located across from the Cathedral in the Piazza del Duomo. The octagon shape is super unique. I have never seen anything like this. I loved the marble color with the greenish detail. The three bronze doors are neat. I did not go in because the queue was crazy but you can pay the fee to go inside. A must see, one of my favorite sites in Florence.
It's currently under construction inside, and you won't be able to see a lot at this place. The ceiling is supposed to be very impressive, however, I would suggest to skip this stop if you're running short on time as you'll likely have to wait in line. read more
The Baptistery was where Christian's were baptized before they were permitted to go into the church. It was dedicated to Saint John the patron saint of Florence and his one of the oldest buildings from the 6th century. It is home to the glittering gold mosaics that decorate the vault and a spectacular women's gallery. Tickets are required to enter & the lines are insane. They put 8 ft fencing around most of the massive gold doors. We saw the gold doors were able to touch them in the museum. read more
3 years ago
I know, I know... You've seen 100 churches in Italy and is This One going to be any different? No. Not really. But!!! It's the baptistery and dedicated to your homeboy Saint John. And if you get a ticket to climb the tower or the dome in the baptistery, you get to cut the line for the Cathedral, which is free. Plus, dude, this is what you're here for. You're here to see all of the gorgeous antiquity. read more
The Baptistery of San Giovanni, one of the most ancient churches in Florence, sits opposite the city's cathedral, the church of Santa Maria del Fiore. I got to know, places like this, they always have 3 buildings. Duomo, Baptistery and some kind of tower (Example- Pisa, where they have the leaning tower of Pisa, Piazza del Duomo & Baptistery). As you enter the building, your attention is immediately drawn by the precious mosaics in the dome the mosaics are dominated by the huge figure of Christ in Judgement, with scenes from the Last Judgement occupying three of the dome's eight segments. The horizontal registers superimposed in layers tell the stories of St. John the Baptist, the patron saint of Florence, of Jesus, of Joseph and of the Creation of the World. The Angelic Hosts occupy the highest register of all, in the center of the dome. The other main sight in the cathedral complex is the bronze doors on the Baptistery call the "Gates of Paradise". While undoubtedly impressive, these are actually replicas, the actual doors having been moved inside the Duomo Museum for conservation purposes. Michelangelo called the name actually Gates of Paradise, is fully Renaissance masterpiece of Ghiberti and his assistants read more
Being in Florence for a limited time we had to prioritize what we wanted to see versus the "cost" (time waiting in line) of the attraction. We spent a lot of time admiring the Duomo exterior, but could not justify a multihour line to see the interior. However, the nearby Baptistery of St. John was another story. With our admission ticket, amazingly at lunchtime there were only a handful of people in line to get in, so in we went! Beautiful interior with amazing art on the ceiling, walls and everywhere you look. Above you Jesus is giving a thumbs up/thumbs down at Judgment Day. We enjoyed a quiet, peaceful time admiring the beauty here, a brief respite from the intense crowds outside. The exterior is quite unique with its symbolic octagon shape. The famous bronze doors are a must-see (the originals are in the nearby Duomo museum). We found the baptistery exterior easier to admire in the evening, as is true with the Duomo and associated sights, as the crowds are greatly diminished. read more
6 years ago
As part of a combination package which includes the Florence Cathedral, Campanille di Grotto, Museum, Santa Reparata and the Battistero si San Giovanni, the Bapistry is not the featured attraction. The combination ticket can be purchased in person or online for 18 Euros. Be aware that there can be long lines or not. The Bapistry was by most historical accounts originally a Roman Temple celebrating the the Roman God of War "Mars". The first version of the Bapistry occured between the 4th-5th century (CE). An expansion came in the 13th century which rendered the building to its present state. The architectural style is uniquely Florentine Romanesque. It must be remembered that baptisms took place outside the church before Medieval times because a newborn was considered to possess original sin before baptism. Battistero di San Giovanni is built in an octagonal design. The number 8 is significant as the number represents 6 days of creation, 1 day of rest and 1 day of recreation through baptism. The outer walls are made of white Carrara and Green Prato marble which is quite striking. Perhaps most striking are the tree double doors. The southern door is the oldest and depicts the life of John the Baptist and the 8 virtues. The work is attributed to Andrea Pisano. The north door is the next oldest and depicts scenes from the New Testament. This door and the east door are attributed to Lorenzo Ghiberti. The est door depicts scenes from the Old Testament. The high lights of the interior are a mosaic of Christ in Judgement on the center dome. Right thumb-up those that go to heaven, Left thumb-down those that go to eternal damnation. There is a statue of St. John the patron Saint of Florence and a baptismal fountain. All can be seen in less than an hour. The interior space is confined with a center isle that everyone traverses through. It is also quite dark so bring a low light camera so that you do not end up with blurred images as I did. The east door is called the "Gates of Paradise" named by Michelangelo. The originals are in the Duomo Museum. Flora (the goddess of textile and agriculture is depicted as a lily or iris. The named Florence derives from Flora the goddess. read more
8 years ago
In the time of medieval and Renaissance Europe baptisms took place outside churches. According to the Christian tradition humankind was born with original sin. Due to the presence of original sin people who weren't baptized weren't allowed to enter churches. In the process of baptism, the acceptance of Jesus and his sacrifice eliminate the original sin in the infant, which then allows the infant to enter the church. Historically everyone in Florence would be baptized here. While baptisms still occur to this day, nowadays the baptistery is known as a historical site. The Baptistery is one of Florence's oldest buildings. There once stood a Roman temple dedicated to Mars, the god of old Florence. Then the Christians had to ruin a good thing and "convert" this pagan building, using the ruins of the former temple to build the first version of the building in the 4th or 5th century. The new building was named after St. John the Baptist, now the patron saint of Florence. An expansion in the 11th century renders this building in its present state. Admission to the Baptistery is included with your standard €18 ticket that covers the Duomo sights excluding the cathedral (which itself is free) within a 72-hour period. Though there can be a line outside the line isn't as long as the cathedral (which has no ticket). As I have stated on other Duomo-related reviews it's highly recommended to spread your visits out on different days as to maximize your sightseeing time and minimize the information overload. POINTS OF SIGNIFICANCE 1. Exterior - The octagon shape is similar to other baptisteries and is symbolic of the role of baptism as a sacrament of initiation: six days of creation, a day of rest and the eight day of recreation through baptism. - The walls were built from slabs of white Carrara and green Prato marble. - The most significant feature of the exterior are the presence of three bronze doors on the south, north and east ends. The south door is the oldest and contains scenes from the life of John the Baptist along with the eight virtues. The north doors are the next oldest and depict scenes from the New Testament. They were made by Lorenzo Ghiberti after winning a competition. Due to his success he was then commissioned to create the last set of doors on the east end, which depict scenes from the Old Testament. Michelangelo once said these doors were the "gates of paradise", a name that persists today. [Note that the doors in the Baptistery are copies. The originals are housed inside the Duomo Museum]. 2. Interior The baptismal font is not really all that spectacular but the most significant structures are everything but the font. The floor evokes images of Islamic art, the interior walls are reminiscent of the Pantheon while the dome contains a mosaic highly influenced by Byzantine art. The most famous part of the ceiling depicts the Last Judgement. It depicts Jesus literally judging souls, gesturing the righteous with this right hand towards salvation while ushering those near his left hand towards eternal damnation. From Jesus' POV it looks like he's doing a thumbs-up/thumbs-down motion. With the exception of the Santa Reparata crypt, I recommend visiting all the sights included in your Duomo admission as the whole story of the cathedral can't be told with just a visit to the cathedral. The baptistery, bell tower and dome also hold important significance and the museum houses many of the cathedral's original artifacts for perseverance. Unlike the Uffizi or Accademia this can be visited quickly, and I used this visit as a break between visiting the main 2 art galleries of the city. Finally it has to be said: be mindful of proper attire before entering. read more
The Florence Baptistery or Baptistery of Saint John is another stunning architectural masterpiece in Florence. One of the oldest buildings in Florence, built in the 1000s! Located across from the Cathedral in the Piazza del Duomo. The octagon shape is super unique. I have never seen anything like this. I loved the marble color with the greenish detail. The three bronze doors are neat. I did not go in because the queue was crazy but you can pay the fee to go inside. A must see, one of my favorite sites in Florence. read more
Hey don't ignore the octagonal building in front of the Duomo! That is Baptistery of St John and it's actually a much older building than the much bigger neighbor. Although it's reconstructed during early Renaissance, the Baptistery dated back to the Ancient Roman era and scholars thought it may used to be a Roman temple. Until modern era, this was the place where every Florentine including the greats like the Medicis and Dante were baptized! Intrigued yet? As if Ghiberti's bronze "Door of Paradise" (Dubbed by Michelangelo himself!) was intriguing enough already. Anyway, when you walk inside, the first thing you'll notice is the medieval-style Last Judgment mosaic. Compared to Vasari's Renaissance rendition under the Duomo dome, this medieval-style mosaic is much more 2-D but still retains the awesome impression of Christ imposing his final judgments to all. Look carefully at Christ as he thumbs up on his right to the saved souls and thumbs down on his left to the condemned! The Baptistery should be a quick visit but be sure to take your time to admire the details of the ceiling mosaic before you exit. Breath in, because after all, you are standing at where some of the greatest people of the world were baptized! --- tl;dr version: 1) Older and equally important as the larger Duomo 2) Behold the Door of Paradise outside and the Last Judgment inside 3) Quick but a highly recommended visit read more
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Battistero di San Giovanni - landmarks - Updated July 2026
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