Golden Gate by Lorenzo Ghiberti. Baptistery of San Giovanni - the epitome of Romanesque architecture Golden Gate Baptistery Florence
If you enter Piazza dei Miracoli through the Santa Maria gate, the first thing on your way will be the famous Pisa Baptistery, the largest baptistery in the world.
The Baptistery in Pisa was built on a royal scale, and of incredible beauty.
Even the splendid Florentine baptistery has something to envy here, namely, the open space generously allocated for the Pisan counterpart and allowing it to shine in all its glory, while the Florentine one is squeezed by the surrounding buildings.
The Pisans began building the baptistery in 1152, after the completion of the Pisa Cathedral of Santa Maria. Columns were delivered from Elba and Sardinia, which were installed inside the building in 1163 as load-bearing ones.
Construction was carried out intermittently and stretched for two centuries. Only in the middle of the 14th century the building was covered with a dome, and finally completed in 1363.
Like most baptisteries, Pisa is dedicated to St. John the Baptist.
architectural features
The baptistery was built with an eye on the cathedral. Here you see the same finest, as in the Pisa Cathedral, the alignment of proportions, giving a sense of the perfection of the structure: neither add nor subtract.
The cathedral and the baptistery face each other through the main portals.
Like the cathedral, the bronze doors of the baptistery are decorated with bas-reliefs (the author is Guidetto). Carved marble pilasters stand on both sides of the main entrance.
The architrave above the portal is decorated with the finest marble carvings, bas-reliefs and sculptures.
The building is circular in plan and has four entrances located on the cardinal points. The walls of the baptistery are lined with marble, white stripes of marble alternate with dark ones, but so delicately that the feeling of whiteness and lacy foam remains in the memory.
The lower part of the baptistery is decorated with high blind arches.
Above is a gallery with thin columns crowned with graceful lancet pediments.
Sculptures are placed on the columns inside the pediments.
The next tier is light windows, above which light triangular pediments are also placed.
Above begins the dome, which was crowned with a copper figure of John the Baptist, made by the Sienese sculptor Turino di Sano in 1395.
Baptistery interior
The outward splendor of the baptistery promises inner beauties, and the visitor, having bought a ticket, rushes inside with curiosity, expecting the continuation of the aesthetic feast. And he feels some disappointment, not finding any luxury inside, but only a high and bright, almost empty space.
Exactly in the center there is a font, to which steps lead (the author of the font is Guido Bigarelli, created in 1246). The marble panels of the octagonal font are decorated with carvings and inlays.
Another luxury allowed here is a carved pulpit, somewhat reminiscent of the pulpit in the Pisa Cathedral (work by Niccolò Pisano, 1260).
You can go up to the upper women's gallery and make a circle around it.
The lower part of the baptistery appears from the gallery in an unexpected form. Stripes of dark marble radiating from the font fold into a kind of cobweb.
View of the Pisa Cathedral from the upper gallery
The Baptistery is famous for its acoustics, and from time to time bands are brought there to demonstrate the magnificent sound under the arches of the Baptistery. Because of this, we even had to wait at the entrance for some time, since a similar demonstration was taking place inside.
The baptistery is open from 9 a.m., seven days a week. Closes: in winter at 18, in the off-season - at 19, in summer - at 20.
The ticket price is 5 euros.
For more information: how to get to the Square of Miracles, opening hours and ticket prices for other objects - see.
And finally, a little advice. Behind the baptistery is the entrance to. From the wall you can look at the Square of Miracles from a different angle, and first of all - just at the Baptistery. Use this opportunity.
The most wonderful view of the Square of Miracles, and the Baptistery opens from the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which we will climb to.
In addition to the hotel, in Pisa and the surrounding area, you can rent accommodation from private owners (house, part of the house, apartment) through Airbnb. Registering with my invitation link in the Airbnb system, you get a $30 discount on your first booking (assuming the booking is >$75).
Useful websites to prepare for your tripEven in ancient times, there were special rooms for baptism - baptistery. They were attached to the church or erected as a separate building. Baptisteries have been known since the 4th century. Initially, they served for the gathering of Christians or people preparing for baptism and were quite large. Inside such a room there was always a baptismal font, similar to a kind of pool, in which several adults could be baptized at the same time. Over time, when the bulk of the adult population became Christianized, and they began to baptize already in infancy, the need for baptismal churches disappeared, and the font itself decreased in size and began to be installed in a church or chapel. As the 20th century saw a resurgence in the number of adults wishing to be baptized, interest in baptistries increased.
Construction history
The Florence Baptistery is the oldest structure in the entire city. In ancient times, the temple of Mars, the god of war, was located in the building, in the 4th century it was converted into a Christian temple, and it acquired its modern look already in the 11-13th centuries.
There is no exact date for the construction of the baptistery, but the first mention of it dates back to the fifth century. The first baptismal was built on the ruins of Roman buildings in the northeastern part of the Florentine walls. The building was originally built of sandstone. The octagon was not chosen by chance: each side symbolizes the day of creation, and the eighth symbolizes baptism, “birth again”. Each face has a three-petal division. Since its construction, the building has been rebuilt many times, invariably retaining its octagonal shape and marble finish.
In the 9th century, the baptistery became the cathedral of Florence and served this function until the 12th century.
In 1059, the newly elected Pope Nicholas II reconstructed the building, completing the construction of an octagonal dome and adding a semicircular apse to the western part, where the altar was located.
A smooth pyramidal roof was erected on the baptistery in the 12th century. At the same time, the exterior decoration of the building with green and white marble begins. In those days, the Church of St. John combined the functions of a cathedral and a baptismal. Sacred ordinances were held twice a year, and it was necessary to provide access to the temple for a large number of people, so the building had several doors.
Doors and columns of the baptistery
The architecture and style of the building is extremely strict and straightforward. Outside, each face is decorated with pilasters, semicircular arches. The most magnificent decorations of the baptistery are its doors (or gates), decorated with gilded bas-reliefs, of which there are only three: southern, northern and eastern.
These doors are the oldest in the building. They are decorated with 28 reliefs - paintings from the life of John the Baptist. They were created in 1290-1348 by Andrea Pisano, a great Italian artist. By the time work on the gates began, he was already a fairly well-known sculptor. In just three months, he made wax molds for the reliefs of the southern gate. The casting of the reliefs themselves was entrusted to the best Venetian master - Leonardo d'Avanzo.
These gates were created in 1401-1424. They are also decorated with 28 reliefs, but depict scenes from the New Testament illustrating the life of Christ. In the year from which the Renaissance began, the city authorities organized a competition for the best option for creating the doors of the baptistery. In it, the young masters Filippo Brunelleschi and Lorenzo Ghiberti shared the victory: the judges could not choose which of them was more talented and worthy of working on the gates. It was proposed to work in pairs, but Brunelleschi refused and has since stopped sculpting altogether. And Ghiberti, on the contrary, devoted almost his entire creative life to working on the reliefs of the northern doors, and the result met all expectations: it turned out to be a true masterpiece. The Florentines, amazed by the work of art they saw, commissioned Ghiberti and the oriental doors.
These are the most famous doors of the baptistery. On them are ten frameless gilded panels illustrating scenes from Holy Scripture. In two scenes, Ghiberti portrayed himself. The doors have another name - the Gates of Paradise or Porta del Paradiso, as Michelangelo christened them, admiring the work of Ghiberti. The gate was built from 1425 to 1452. But now the gate panels have been replaced with copies, and the originals can be seen in the Duomo Museum.
By the way, at the beginning of the 19th century in St. Petersburg, a copy of these gates was installed at the northern entrance of the Kazan Cathedral.
columns
Next to the Gates of Paradise, two porphyry columns “leaned” along the sides of the baptistery, which at the beginning of the 12th century were donated to Florence by Pisa as a token of gratitude for their help in defending themselves from the attack of Lucca. During the conquest of the Pisan fleet to the Balearic Islands, the columns were taken from the island of Mallorca. There was a belief that these columns could foresee betrayal. The Pisans were sorry to give such a valuable gift, so they boiled the columns first, and they lost their magical properties, but they don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, and the Florentines decided to put the columns to the baptistery.
Baptistery interior
Inside, the building repeats the octagonal structure, and each wall is divided into three parts by powerful columns. The walls and floor are finished with marble. In the center there was once a large bath, the Baptismal spring, which Dante mentions in the Divine Comedy. But it has not survived to our time, only the font of the 16th century, located near the wall, remains.
The dome of the building is decorated with mosaics, which were created by local and Venetian masters.
The interior is decorated with many works of art:
- the funerary complex of Antipope John XXIII (the work of the sculptors Michelozzo and Donatello);
- the sarcophagus of Bishop Ranieri and the sarcophagi of the times of Ancient Rome;
- statue of Magdalene made of wood (work by Donatello, 1435-1455);
- 13th century altar.
All Florentines were baptized in the baptistery, including Dante Alighieri and the Medici family of the rulers of Florence.
Location
The baptistery is located in the very center of the cultural and religious life of the city - on the Duomo Square (Piazza Duomo) and is part of a single architectural ensemble of the Florence Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, along with the Giotto bell tower.
Working hours
Tourists can visit the famous baptismal site any day of the week. From Monday to Saturday it is open from 12:00 to 19:00 and on Sunday from 8:30 to 14:00. On the first Saturday of each month, the opening hours are shifted to the morning: from 8.30 to 14.00. The cost of visiting is 5 Euro.
In contact with
Battistero di San Giovanni
Baptistery of San Giovanni- the oldest building of the Cathedral Square in Florence, probably built during the late Roman Empire. There is even a version that it stands on the foundation of a sanctuary dedicated to Mars.
Visit the Baptistery in Florence:
Remember that inappropriate clothes are not allowed into the Baptistery (even despite the heat): shoulders and legs must be covered (t-shirts, shorts and skirts above the knee will not be allowed!), sandals, hats and sunglasses are prohibited.
Working hours:
- weekdays 08:15-10:15 / 11:15-18:30
- Sat 08:15-18:30
- Sun 08:15-13:30
- Closed on the first Tuesday of every month
You can enter through the door on the right on the west side (the main facade of the Duomo)
Ticket Il Grande Museo del Firenze - 15 €
- children 6 - 11 years old - 3 €, up to 6 years old - free of charge.
- valid for 48 hours from the first visit, no need to stand at the box office,
- includes a visit to the crypt and the Museo Opera del Duomo.
Opening hours of all these museums:
- 10:00-17:00
- 08:30-18:20
- 08:15-10:15 / 11:15-18:30
- 08:15-18:50
- Crypto 10:00-17:00
- Opera del Duomo Museum 09:00-19:00
What to see in the Bapstery:
During the Middle Ages, the baptistery played the role of an important city church, and even was during the reconstruction of Santa Reparata. San Giovanni was also rebuilt: a smooth pyramidal roof was mounted in 1128, later a lantern was installed on it. The baptistery acquired its present appearance in the last years of the 13th century, when its facades were divided into three parts by pilasters and the walls were lined with white and green marble.
Column in front of the baptistery
In front of the entrance to the baptistery stands column(1384), dedicated to the patron of the city - St. Zinovia. They put it in the place where the elm once grew. The tree blossomed in the middle of winter, when the coffin with the remains of the saint was carried past it.
Interior of the Baptistery of San Giovanni:
The interior is striking in the richness of marble and mosaics, the oldest of which are in the apse. They were made by the master Fra Jacopo around 1225 in the Byzantine style. The mosaics of the dome were created by Florentine and, perhaps, Venetian artists. The most famous of them: Cimabue, Coppo di Marcovaldo and Gaddo Gaddi. Christ is depicted in the tondo above the apse, and on the sides of him is the Resurrection from the dead and Last Judgment. Rows of mosaic hallmarks on the opposite side of the dome from bottom to top: "The Story of John the Baptist", "The Story of Christ", "The Story of Mary and Joseph" and scenes from the Book of Genesis. The marble baptismal font was made by Pisan craftsmen around 1371.
Tomb of Antipope John XXIII
Tomb of Antipope JohnXXIII(1427), built according to the design of Michelozzo and Donatello, is a famous monument of Renaissance sculpture. The figure of the deceased was sculpted by Donatello. Antipopes are called popes, the legitimacy of whose election Catholic Church does not recognize. John XXIII, aka Balthazar Kossa, was a pirate in his youth, then the bishop of Bologna and put a tiara on his head at the moment when there were three popes at once. In the end, John XXIII had to sign a renunciation, for which he was left with the title of cardinal.
South and north gates of the baptistery
The main attraction of the Baptistery of San Giovanni is the bronze doors. More ancient south gate, created by Andrea Pisano, represent the story of John the Baptist and allegories of the cardinal (Strength, Temperance, Justice, Caution) and theological (Faith, Hope and Love) virtues. North Gate decorated with scenes from the New Testament, and in addition, images of evangelists and Doctors of the Church. Their author is Lorenzo Ghiberti (1403-1424).
Very often, it is recommended to start exploring the historical part of the city from the cathedral. As usual, in front of the cathedral is the main square, where life is in full swing, and the cathedral itself is an architectural masterpiece.
But we are with you, reader, in Naples - everything is different here. To tell the truth, of all the Neapolitan churches examined, the cathedral made the least impression, perhaps this is a consequence of deceived hopes. Firstly, there is no square at all: the cathedral recedes ten meters from the red line of Via Duomo, so it’s not worth talking about the square. Secondly, all the impressions of the architecture of the cathedral can be expressed in one word - it is BIG. The cathedral was rebuilt so many times in step with the times that the result was unsuccessful eclecticism.
But that doesn't mean there's nothing to see here. You just need to isolate interesting details, and pass by everything else at a fast pace.
The cathedral stands on the street of the same name (via Duomo), on the segment between the two Decumans (the middle one is via Tribunale and the north one, which has several names along its length). From San Giovanni a Carbonara, you can walk across the car-filled Via Carbonara and then along the calm Via Luigi Settembrini. On the latter, you can see the magnificent baroque church of Santa Maria Donnareggina Nuova, which houses the diocesan museum. Recent times I began to dislike clerical museums, in my opinion, taking money for viewing reliquaries and chalices is somehow not good. Therefore, I ignored the museum all these years, but if someone wants to take a look, here is their website: http://www.museodiocesanonapoli.comNow about the cathedral itself. The facade, due to the lack of space in front of it, is poorly photographed, like this:
Just don't be deceived: this Gothic is at least 100 years old, it is, so to speak, nuovissima gotica))). In theory, the cathedral should be Gothic, because its central part was under Charles II Chrome (), but, apparently, the facade was rebuilt several times according to the requirements of capricious fashion. In the 19th century, the Gothic fashion returned, and the result is in front of you. To the right of the main entrance is the entrance to the Tesoro di San Gennaro Museum - another major disappointment, and quite expensive (8 euros - the price of a decent art gallery), but more on that next time.
Entering the cathedral, you will see a huge main nave going into darkness. Darkness is not a figure of speech, but the truth of history: I have never seen the nave properly lit. So the photo taken from Wiki captures some extraordinary moment when the illumination was turned on:
But the cathedral is not limited to the classical three naves with apses. After walking a little along the left wall, you will find an opening leading to ... the former Cathedral. Prior to Charles the Lame, the Neapolitan Cathedral ran along rather than across Via Duomo, and was a classical five-aisled basilica from the 4th century. This former cathedral is called Santa Restituta. The construction of a new cathedral turned the former cathedral into an ordinary side chapel, albeit of a huge size. The "back" part of Santa Restituta was cut off from the main one and became part of the new cathedral, then the outer naves were divided by walls into separate chapels. As a result, it is very difficult to recognize an early Christian basilica in today's Santa Restituta: it has become disproportionately wide, and the side chapels completely prevent you from "seeing" the former naves. However, see for yourself:
Baroque paintings covered the walls of Santa Restituta, and in only two places can one see traces of the former cathedral.
Firstly, under the fresco in the apse, they managed to find the face of the Savior, miraculously preserved from the 4th century. Subsequent layers of plaster have been washed away from him, and now he looks sternly at visitors, surrounded by frivolous baroque baby angels.
Secondly, in one of the side chapels on the left - Madonna del Principio - you can see a mosaic of the XIII century:
The Mother of God is confronted by Saint Restituta and Saint Januarius. I’ll tell you about Januarius in detail next time, but with Restituta, this was the case. She was tortured, tormented, torn to pieces, and then put in a boat full of flammable substances, set on fire and sent to sea. The boat sailed from the coast of North Africa to the island of Ischia and never burned down; the local Christian Lutsina found the body of the martyr, untouched by fire and decay, in a boat; the relics were buried in Ischia, and then transferred to Naples. So says the legend. Apparently, the veneration of the African martyr was brought to Naples by the Orthodox, who fled from the persecution of the Aryan vandals (this is how Bishop Gaudios got to Naples, the catacombs of his name to us).
I would never have taken you to Santa Restituta if there had not been a magic door leading to the baptistery from here. In no case should you miss the baptistery, because it is one of the oldest surviving in Western Europe. There are also the famous Ravenna baptisteries (Arian and Orthodox), as well as the Lateran baptistery in Rome, but the Neapolitans confidently consider theirs to be the most ancient (it is useful to read about baptisteries at least here: http://www.pravenc.ru/text/77506.html) . It is known that the baptistery in Naples existed under Bishop Severus (363-412), further there is evidence that the baptistery was built by Bishop Soter in 465, and since there were hardly two baptismal churches in one city, it is assumed that we are talking about the same construction.
The entrance to the baptistery is to the right of the main altar of Santa Restituta, a ticket costs 1.5 euros and is sold in one of the chapels on the right (the minister does not like to sit at his workplace, you have to walk around looking bored, then he will appear from somewhere). It is forbidden to take pictures (officially), but since no one accompanies visitors, you can spit on the ban (just don’t spit in the font - it’s awkward somehow). The mosaics have survived in fragments; it is very funny to read the description, in which, for example, it is written: "only the character's leg has been preserved, presumably the scene of the Baptism of the Lord is presented). What I could capture, I show:
1. Dome:
2. Lunettes:
b) Traditio legis - a common plot: Christ gives the scrolls of the law to the apostles
c) Miraculous catch of fish (John 21):
There are also symbols of the Evangelists, and everything else was not spared by the merciless time and the same merciless medieval restorers.
This is where we break. Next time I will try to introduce you to Saint Januarius, the patron saint of Naples, and show you in situ his relics. If you love miracles, then stay tuned.It is located in the historical center of Florence and pleases with its octagonal view since the 11-12th century. The white-and-green marble building is even older than the world-famous Duomo (Milan Cathedral - religious sites). What is it that attracts tourists? baptismal florence? The eastern side of the Baptistery of San Giovanni is adorned with gates adorned with gilded bas-relief panels depicting biblical characters and themes. This is the door of the Baptiserie. The number of panels on it is equal to 10.
Passing at the northern and southern gates of the Baptiserie, be sure to pay attention to the 28 bas-reliefs on each, as well as to the masterpiece of the Byzantine masters - the mosaic dome of the Baptiserie. The authors of the gilded doors were Ghiberti and Pisano. On the doors facing south, Andrei Pisano “described” the life of John the Baptist. Oriental doors with convex biblical stories many call "Gate of Heaven". Lorenzo Ghiberti portrayed himself in two scenes.
You can read about the life and work of architects in the book of the famous Italian painter and architect Giorgio Vasari “Lives of Famous Painters, Sculptors and Architects”. It is a cultural heritage that describes the history of European art, the work of Renaissance artists. The book also tells the biography of Donatello, Brunellesco and many other sculptors and architects in Italy.
Florence, being a city of Italy, often attracts with its scale, and many call it an open-air museum country with many amazing architectural sights. Even a month is not enough for you to explore the Italian culture, filled with the art of past centuries. The Baptistery of San Giovanni is considered a highlight among the cultural monuments and attractions of Florence.
It is not for nothing that all excursion programs include a visit to this amazing historical center. Did you know that Dante and the notorious Maria Medici were baptized in the Baptistery of San Giovanni. Despite the fact that this religious landmark of Florence is more of a tourist pilgrimage site, baptismal rites are still held in the Baptiserie. To visit the Baptistery of San Giovanni you need to walk to the square Piazza del Duomo, but always with 5 EUR in your pocket per person. This price does not include guide services.
Address: Baptistery of San Giovanni, Piazza Duomo, Florence, Italy
Opening hours: Mon-Sat - 12.00-19.00, Sun - 8.30-14.00, first Saturday of each month - 8.30-14.00
Price: 5 EUR
Interesting places and sights of Florence
- Uffizi
- Basilica of Santa Croce
- Palazzo Vecchio
- Piazza Michelangelo
- Signoria Square
- Santa Maria del Fiore
- Palazzo Pitti
- Great Synagogue of Florence
- Gem processing workshop
- Piazza del Duomo
- Santa Trinita Bridge
05.01.2021Psychological complexesThe most interesting:
