Florence Baptistery of St. John

The Baptistery of St. John is an octagonal 11th-century building standing directly opposite Florence Cathedral and is considered the definitive monument of Florentine Romanesque architecture. Its facade of green serpentine and white Carrara marble deliberately echoes ancient Roman forms, leading art historians to classify the style as Proto-Renaissance. Dante Alighieri was baptized here and referred to it affectionately as 'mio bel San Giovanni' in the Divine Comedy. The building is famous above all for its three bronze door sets — Lorenzo Ghiberti's east portal, dubbed the 'Gates of Paradise' by Michelangelo, is considered one of the pivotal works of European sculpture. Inside, a gilded Byzantine ceiling mosaic from the 13th century covers the entire dome; the building is open daily and forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage ensemble of the Florentine Cathedral complex.