The Florence Baptistery, also known as the Baptistery of
Saint John, is dedicated to John the Baptist. Hence the second name. It was built
between 1059 and 1128, in Tuscan Romanesque style. The style -though never
getting very popular- influenced many famous architects of the time, including
Filippo Brunelleschi. The Baptistery is designed in the shape of an octagon, the number eight being a symbol of regeneration
in Christianity, standing for the six days of creation, the Day of Rest, and a
day of re-creation through the Sacrament of Baptism.
The Baptistery hosts three
bronze double doors; the south doors were done by Andrea Pisano, the north and
east doors by Lorenzo Ghiberti. The east doors were later
called by Michelangelo as the "Gates of
Paradise". The Gates of Paradise contain ten separate pictures, each depicting
a scene from the bible: Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, the drunkenness of Noah, Abraham
and Isaac, Esau and Jacob, Joseph sold into slavery, Moses and the ten
commandments, the fall of Jericho, David and Goliath, and Solomon and the queen
of Sheba.
Random fact that I'm to tired to fit in: Dante Alighieri was baptized here, along with many members of the Medici family.
This building is beautiful! And how interesting that such important people from history, like Dante and members of the Medici family were baptized here. It really makes the past seem much more present and real.
ReplyDeleteWasn't this the building that we learned about in regards to linear perspective? With the hole in painting and mirror trick?
ReplyDelete