San Giovanni in Corte Baptistery

San Giovanni in Corte Baptistery

San Giovanni in Corte Baptistery
4
Architectural BuildingsChurches & Cathedrals
About
Built in its present form in Gothic style in the first half of the XIV c. on the site of the old “Paleochristian” and Baptismal church of Santa Maria and San Giovanni. The name “in corte” certifies the presence of a Curtis domini regis, the headquarters of the “gestaldo” in the Lombard period. During the building, which lasted from 1338 to 1360, the grave of Bishop Atto, who died in 1153, was found (he introduced the “Jacobean” cult in Pistoia). Even though Vasari claimed that Andrea Pisano had designed the baptistery there’s no sure proof about that. It is sure, however, that Cellino di Nese managed the operation: he’s responsible for the outside marble facing. The white marbles originate from Siena and Carrara; the green ones from Prato. The octagonal shaped building presents a pyramidal roofing completed by an elegant lantern. The cupola is covered with sheets of lead surrounded by an open gallery with marble balustrade enriched with spires and statuettes. In the lunette of the main door we can notice the sculptures of Madonna with Child between St. John the Baptist and St. Peter that are traditionally attributed to Nino and Tommaso, sons of Andrea Pisano. The architrave is divided in four bas-reliefs depicting stories of St. John’s life. The door-knockers of the central portal are a masterpiece of wood-cutting and are the work of Pier Francesco Ventura (1523). Inside, the baptismal font can be seen, carved by Lanfranco da Como in 1226. During the Baroque period, this was included in a structure surmounted by the marble statue of St. John the Baptist, a work by Andrea Vacca, now on view in the Baptistery.
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4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles301 reviews
Excellent
113
Very good
141
Average
42
Poor
2
Terrible
3

joopb
Leidschendam, The Netherlands795 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2020 • Friends
The outside is beautiful. It has a majestic look. The inside is a contradiction to the outside yet the in and out match perfectly.
Written 5 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

igrnz
Wellington, New Zealand73 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2019
We weren't sure what this was but it was standing there in the piazza looking amazing. Inside is stunning and the famous doors are wonderful. Check it out, it is worth visiting.
Written 25 November 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

LadureeFan
Richmond, VA1,206 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2019
We had a skip the line tickets for Brunelleschi's Dome which allowed us entrance to the Baptistry so we went. Not as impressive as other structures we visited....but glad we saw it. The doors are impressive so if you don't go inside, at least take a look at the doors.
Written 25 November 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Shikha M
Easton, MA126 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2019 • Family
We stood in line to enter inspite of our Firenze card
The baptistery didn’t allow my teenage daughter to go in because of her not wearing a shoulder covering shirt
The dome inside had a beautiful fresco
But overall not so good
Written 29 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

RaktimRay
Singapore, Singapore1,476 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2018 • Family
Possibly dwarfed by the towering structures around it in the piazza del Duomo the baptistery of San Giovanni is definitely worth a visit.
Location: It is located right in front of the Cathedral in the main piazza del duomo. The piazza is about fifteen minutes walk from the train station and is pretty much tourist central in all of Florence.
Tickets: The entry to the baptistery is covered by the combined Duomo ticket. The combined ticket can be purchased in advance, online from the official site ilgrandemuseodelduomo. It costs 18 euros per person and comprises of entrance to the Cathedral, the bell tower, the baptistery, the crypt, the museum and the duomo climb. The ticket is valid for three days from the point of first entry and hence you won't need to rush.
Entrance: The entrance is located to the side of the roughly hexagonal structure. The path inside is just a straight walk end to end and you exit on the other side. Once inside the you see the fine frescoes on the ceiling.
Try to do the baptistery before the cathedral or the museum. There isn't a long queue for this and it can be done in about ten minutes. The reason is after you see the artwork inside the cathedral and the museum the baptistery won't evoke any special feelings. But thats not to say it should be ignored. Hence to appreciate it before the impending brilliance, try to visit this as a primer to all else at the piazza.
Written 13 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dennis M
Ripon, UK104 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2019 • Couples
There is not so much to see in this Baptisery. But this is where you buy tickets for other evens in Pistoia. A nice building from the outside, so worth visiting
Written 17 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Michael H
Norwich250 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2019 • Couples
The octagonal Baptistery dedicated to Saint Giovanni in Corte is a remarkable building with its white and green striped horizontal banding in marble. Constructed in a Gothic style it’s equally impressive as the Duomo which stands opposite in the corner of a relatively small piazza in central Pistoia. Once inside the incredible baptismal font rightly stands centre stage. The magnificently detailed, carved floral panels on each side of the font were sculpted in 1226 by Lanfranco da Como and are well worth close inspection. Nearly 800 years on and they remain stunningly beautiful.
Written 3 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Thomas Ozbun
Vicenza, Italy984 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2018 • Friends
It is nearly larger and surely more imposing than the Cathedral itself. Together with the immense bell tower they were built in the 12th century in the typical Romanesque style in white marble and green serpentine. Though unadorned and without frescoes, apart from a beautiful central baptismal font, the Baptistery still had a nice looking inside, though surely much better from the outside.
Written 4 January 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Borzov
Rijeka, Croatia5,256 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2018 • Couples
The baptistery was consecrated in the 12th century, but it was finished later by design of Andrea Pisano in the characteristically Pistoian bands of white and dark green. The interior is simple with the nice Gothic pulpit, added in 1399 and a reconstructed baptismal font. It is a simple and beautiful building located near the city’s cathedral.
Written 17 October 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

GloriaAnchio
Philadelphia, PA183 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2018 • Family
The baptistery in Florence may be famous for its doors, but the Pistoia baptistery has a more beautiful exterior and it is unique in having a exterior preaching area.
Written 10 September 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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San Giovanni in Corte Baptistery, Pistoia

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