Description of the attraction
The Baptistery, an octahedral church building with a semicircular apse, standing on a stepped podium, was built in the 4th-5th centuries near the northern gate of Florence during the Roman period. The baptistery received its modern appearance in the 11th-13th centuries. In 1128 it was covered with a smooth pyramidal roof, the pillared lantern dates back to 1150, and the rectangular pulpit dates back to 1202. The outside of the building is faced with green and white marble. Each facet of the baptistery has a threefold division, decorated with pilasters and topped with an entablature and semicircular arches that frame the windows.
The bronze gates deserve special attention. The gates are located on three sides of the Baptistery of St. John the Baptist: the South Gate, made by Andrea Pisano, with scenes from the life of John the Baptist and with allegories of the Virtues; North Gate of Ghiberti with episodes from the New Testament, Evangelists and Teachers of the Church; The eastern gate is a masterpiece of Ghiberti, rightfully considered the most famous. They were commissioned by the Guild of Merchants in 1425, divided into ten panels and reproduce scenes from the Old Testament. Due to the perfection of execution, the gates deservedly bear the name given to them by Michelangelo - "The Gates of Paradise".
The interior of the Baptistery is two-sided; bottom order with columns; the upper one has pilasters framing twin windows. The surface of the walls is covered with marble mosaics with geometric patterns that resemble paving floors. Among the works of art located here, of particular interest is the tomb of antipope John XXIII - a whole funerary complex made by sculptors Michelozzo and Donatello.
The pulpit is decorated with beautiful mosaics of the 13th century, executed simultaneously with the mosaics of the vault. The mosaic of the vault presents the following: on both sides of the large image of "Christ in Glory" by Coppo di Marcovaldo there are six rows of scenes from the life of John the Baptist, Christ, Joseph, from the Book of Genesis, Heavenly Theocracy with Christ and seraphim and ornamental motives.
