Baptistery of San Giovanni
Stand outside the Baptistery of San Giovanni and you're looking at an octagonal building clad in white and green marble — geometry so precise it fooled Renaissance architects into thinking it was a Roman temple. It wasn't. But Roman walls do run beneath it, and the building itself has been standing in some form since at least 897 AD, making it one of the oldest structures in Florence.
This is where Dante Alighieri was baptised on 26 March 1266, and where Amerigo Vespucci, Niccolò Machiavelli and Cosimo I de' Medici received the same sacrament. The bronze doors alone draw people across the piazza — particularly the east-facing Gates of Paradise, Ghiberti's ten Old Testament panels that took him 26 years to complete.
💛 What travellers fall for
Go early, before the Duomo crowds spill over. Inside, give your eyes a moment to adjust and then look up: the mosaic Christ the Judge covers the western vault at a scale that registers slowly. The panels on the Gates of Paradise are copies — the originals are in the Cathedral Museum nearby, worth seeing up close without the outdoor light.
The story behind Baptistery of San Giovanni
The Baptistery's earliest recorded mention is from 897 AD, though the structure likely grew from a 4th-century predecessor. Consecrated in 1059 by Pope Niccolò II, it served as Florence's cathedral until 1128, when the city officially designated it a baptistery. The marble cladding, inlaid floor and dome followed over the next century, the dome completed by the mid-1200s. Excavations in the early 20th century confirmed that its foundations rest on Roman constructions dating to the 3rd century AD.
The bronze doors arrived in phases: Andrea Pisano's 28-panel south doors, depicting scenes from the life of St John, were begun in 1330 and took six years. Lorenzo Ghiberti, who won a competition at age 22, spent 26 years on his east doors — finished in 1452 and later named the Gates of Paradise. Inside, the vault mosaics were assembled between 1270 and 1300 by Frate Jacopo, Coppo di Marcovaldo and Cimabue. Donatello and Michelozzo added the tomb of Antipope John XXIII, a gilt effigy resting on a deathbed between two lions.
Good to know
Entry requires a Piazza del Duomo cumulative pass (from €15), valid 72 hours and covering the Duomo Museum, Campanile and Crypt. Book ahead online — queues at the ticket office can be long. The mosaic ceiling is under restoration until 2028, so expect scaffolding on part of the vault. First Sunday of the month, closing is at 2pm.
Where is Baptistery of San Giovanni?
More tickets & tours for Baptistery of San Giovanni
Book directly at the provider
What travellers say about Baptistery of San Giovanni
It is a quick tour as it was being renovated mainly. Still beautiful, don't get me wrong, but we had to read and look the stands, not the paintings on the top, as they were covered. The architecture is pretty, for us it was the perfect way to spend the 20 min before our tower climbing time. It is included in the tickets so would really recommend to visit it, but I don't think I would buy tickets only to it.
Nothing much to see as the ceiling is in renovation mode. Even so, the walls and the floors were very impressive to see for their detailed design, also for the historical significance of the place as being part of the Brunelleschi site assembly. There were some nice and important details about every part of the ceiling paintings explained on displays.
The magnificent mosaic ceiling, composed of thousands of glass mosaic pieces set against a gold background, is truly breathtaking. At its center is a depiction of Christ the Judge. It is the first structure that catches your eye when you arrive at the city square. Don’t miss out on visiting it just because you see other large buildings!
From the outside, the geometry is calm but the interior is completely different. The mosaic ceiling pulls your eyes upward and holds them there. Only then I appreciated how compact it is; you don’t have to walk far to absorb it. Despite all the people It feels ancient in a good way and right at the center of Florence.
Step inside Florence’s Piazza del Duomo and you can’t miss the Baptistery of St. John. Famous for its striking geometric white and green marble, this octagonal marvel holds centuries of history. Don't miss Ghiberti's legendary bronze doors, the Gates of Paradise, and the stunning golden mosaics inside!
More of Florence
Discover where to stay, what to do and the best deals for your trip.
Explore Florence →More attractions in Florence
All of Florence →
Background adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA) · map data © OpenStreetMap contributors · ratings & place photos via Google · other photos with per-image credit. Ticket links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.