Florence - Baptistery & Campanile

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Day 11, 12 & 13 Exploring Florence

Baptistery of San Giovanni & Florentine Campanile 

"My Beautiful San Giovanni!"
  It was 753 years ago that Dante Alighieri wrote of his baptism in Florence's beloved baptistery.  He was not the only famous Florentine to be baptized here.  Navigator America Vespuci, historian and poet Niccolo Machiavelli and Grand Duke Cosimo l de Medici were baptized here.   In fact, until the end of the 1800's, the baptisms of all Florentines took place under the golden dome.

Proudly standing on a podium right in front of the cathedral is Florence's famous baptistery.  Believed to be built over the ruins of a Roman temple dedicated to Mars back in the 4th-5th century A.D., it was consecrated as the baptistery in 1128, making it the oldest religious monument in Florence.  Today, only young children can be baptized here.

The Baptistery, dedicated to Florence's patron saint,  John the Baptist, has an octagonal plan topped with a lantern and cupola. The eight sides represent the eighth day when Christ arose from the dead, symbolizing new beginnings and signifying the baptismal entry into Christianity.  

The Gilded Doors

The Southern Doors  Designed by Pisano, they are the oldest doors.  The top twenty quatrefoils depict scenes from the life of the John the Baptist -  his birth, his baptizing of Jesus and his burial.  The eight lower scenes show representations of Christian values and worldly values.



The Northern Doors  At the beginning of the 15thC, the Wool Merchants' Guild held a competition to design the northern doors. Each participant had to design a quatrefoil panel depicting the Blinding of Isaac. Ghiberti won with his design which was so magnificent that he was chosen to design the famous Eastern Doors as well.

The Eastern Doors Taking the place of honor facing the Duomo, these are the most famous doors. Michelangelo described them as being "so beautiful they would be perfect for the Gates of Paradise". Once baptized inside the baptistery, Florentines could pass through Ghiberti's gates and into the  Duomo of Santa Maria del Fiore. The scenes top left to right are:




1.  Paradise, Cain & Abel




2.  Noah, Abraham and Isaac





3.  Jacob & Esau, Joseph





4.  Moses, Joshua





5.  David, King Solomon & the
Queen of Sheba.
The Interior 

The ceiling mosaics are arranged in 8 concentric circles, beginning with images of the heavenly host of angels at the top.  Beneath that are scenes from Genesis and episodes from the lives of Joseph, Jesus and St. John the Baptist. These surround Christ enthroned within the circle.


The Tomb of the Antipope honors Baldassare Coscia who upon his death bequeathed
many relics and much money for decorating the baptistry.


The Campanile


 This beautiful example of Florentine Gothic architecture was started in 1334 when Giotto began to build a bell tower for the church.  After his death Andrea Pisano finished the first two floors before work was discontinued due to the Black Death.  It was finally completed in 1359 by Francesco Talenti who added the rooftop terrace.  The tower reaches 84.70 meters in height.  Carvings on the exterior represent various themes -  the concept of Universal Order, the Story of Redemption, Creation of Man, and the Influence of the Planets on Man's Life. In various niches are sixteen
life-sized statues.  Visitors may walk to the top of the tower - 414 steps up narrow passages for spectacular views. Or, you can watch this video of someone else doing it.

Climbing the Campanile
https://youtu.be/8PVcgaSVPdM



Photo credits in order:



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