Opposite Florence Cathedral in Piazza San Giovanni, the Baptistery of St. John is an octagonal Romanesque building clad in patterned white Carrara and green Prato marble. Its interior holds gold mosaics of biblical scenes across the cupola and an inlaid marble floor with a zodiac design. Outside, look closely at the bronze doors and their reliefs. The doors on the building are replicas; the original Gates of Paradise are displayed at the Opera del Duomo Museum nearby.
An octagonal building in Piazza San Giovanni
The Baptistery stands opposite Florence Cathedral, within the Piazza del Duomo area. It is dedicated to St. John the Baptist, the city’s patron saint, and is among Florence’s oldest religious buildings. The building visitors see today was constructed between 1059 and 1128 in the Florentine Romanesque style, on the site of an earlier baptistery. Some accounts place that earlier structure in the 4th or 5th century.
Its eight-sided plan is easy to read from the square. White Carrara marble and green marble from Prato form geometric patterns across the exterior, echoing the marble decoration of the cathedral. The dome and lantern also follow an octagonal plan. Look around the building before entering: the stonework and repeated patterns are part of its design, not simply a frame for the bronze doors.
Mosaics and the marble floor
Inside, the cupola is covered with gold mosaics depicting biblical scenes and religious figures. The Last Judgement is among the subjects shown. The small arched windows bring light into the interior, where the gold surface and the geometric layout of the building create a very different impression from the marble-clad exterior.
Look down as well as up. The floor includes inlaid marble patterns, including a zodiac design. Together, the floor and cupola make the interior worth taking slowly: the decoration is spread across different surfaces, so a quick glance at the ceiling misses another distinctive part of the building.
The bronze doors and the Gates of Paradise
Three sets of bronze doors carry relief sculptures by artists including Andrea Pisano and Lorenzo Ghiberti. Ghiberti’s work is associated with the best-known doors, called the Gates of Paradise. In 1401, Ghiberti and Filippo Brunelleschi competed for the commission; Ghiberti won, and his workshop spent 27 years completing the doors. Michelangelo later gave them their famous name.
The doors now on the Baptistery are replicas. The original Gates of Paradise are preserved at the Opera del Duomo Museum, a short walk away. If seeing the original reliefs is important to you, include the museum in your plans rather than assuming the doors outside are the originals.
FAQ
Where is the Baptistery of St. John?
It is in Piazza San Giovanni in Florence, opposite the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.
Are the Gates of Paradise on the Baptistery original?
No. The doors on the building are replicas. Ghiberti’s original Gates of Paradise are displayed at the Opera del Duomo Museum.
What can you see inside the Baptistery?
The cupola has gold mosaics depicting biblical scenes, including the Last Judgement. The floor has inlaid marble decoration and a zodiac design.
Should I book tickets in advance?
Yes. Booking ahead is recommended to help avoid long lines.
