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El Duomo's Baptistery Doors representing the Gates of Paradise
The foundation of this spectacular structure dates as far back as the 11th century. The building exudes an Italian-Romanesque style. The structure itself is magnificent, but the three sets of bronze doors (first created by Andrea Pisano and later completed by Lorenzo Ghiberti) are breathtaking. His descriptive artwork is divided into panels and depicts captivating scenes from the Old and New Testaments. The work is so beautifully done that Michelangelo praised them.
These Proto-Renaissance doors consist of 28 quatrefoil panels,
with the 20 top panels depicting scenes from the life of St. John the Baptist.
The eight lower panels picture virtues (hope, faith, charity, humility,
fortitude, temperance, justice and prudence).
The baptistry has eight equal sides with a rectangular addition on the west side. This octagonal shape symbolizes the "eight day" (in Latin : octava dies). This is the time of the Risen Christ, a time beyond our own time measured in weeks of seven days. It was considered a symbol for the eternal life given through baptism, when one passes from life in sin to a new life in Christ.
The sides, originally in sandstone, are clad in geometrically patterned colored marble, white Carrara marble with green Prato marble inlay. The pilasters on each corner, originally in grey stone, were decorated with white and dark green marble in a zebra-like pattern by Arnolfo di Cambio in 1293.
 Baptistery Doors Top |
 A at Gates of Paradise |