Florence Baptistery

Florence Baptistery

An octagonal marvel with a marble exterior and mosaic interior, featuring Ghiberti’s renowned Gates of Paradise, attracts tourists and history enthusiasts.
The Florence Baptistery of St John is one of the city’s oldest buildings and occupies a central place in its religious history. Its octagonal form, marble exterior and mosaic-covered interior link the early medieval city with later Romanesque Florence. Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise have become its most celebrated feature, though the building as a whole rewards close attention. Generations of Florentines, including members of the Medici family, were baptised here.