The “eight” represents a sort of magical number in this building.
Eight walls, geometrically shaping its profile and making it so particular. Eight are the bass relieves decorating the interior walls with the scenes from the Life of Jesus, realized by the renowned XIV Century sculptor Giovanni da Campione. Also eight statures stand on the dome, outside, representing the Virtues: Faith, Hope, Charity, Fortitude, Justice, Prudence, Temperance, plus Patience.
Here’s a tip: if you want to play a short game, try to match each statue with its corresponding Virtue and ask your friends to do the same!
The Archangel on top of the dome will be your judge.
This is a restless and “nomad” baptistery, indeed: in fact, the current building is the result of numerous changes of position across the centuries. It was built in 1340 inside the Santa Maria Maggiore Church, in the Città Alta, and remained there till 1661. Afterwards, it was dismembered and put back together twice in a very random way, adding several changes and remakes. It was relocated for the last time between 1898 and 1899 on the western side of the Piazza del Duomo, in the Upper Town, where it was recomposed in neo-Gothic style.
In the middle of its only octagonal hall, you can admire the gothic decorations of the baptismal font, the basin where people used to be christened according the catholic ceremony.
Behind it, you can also see the altar with a marble statue of St. John Baptist above it.
The “eight” represents a sort of magical number in this building.
Eight walls, geometrically shaping its profile and making it so particular. Eight are the bass relieves decorating the interior walls with the scenes from the Life of Jesus, realized by the renowned XIV Century sculptor Giovanni da Campione. Also eight statures stand on the dome, outside, representing the Virtues: Faith, Hope, Charity, Fortitude, Justice, Prudence, Temperance, plus Patience.
Here’s a tip: if you want to play a short game, try to match each statue with its corresponding Virtue and ask your friends to do the same!
The Archangel on top of the dome will be your judge.
This is a restless and “nomad” baptistery, indeed: in fact, the current building is the result of numerous changes of position across the centuries. It was built in 1340 inside the Santa Maria Maggiore Church, in the Città Alta, and remained there till 1661. Afterwards, it was dismembered and put back together twice in a very random way, adding several changes and remakes. It was relocated for the last time between 1898 and 1899 on the western side of the Piazza del Duomo, in the Upper Town, where it was recomposed in neo-Gothic style.
In the middle of its only octagonal hall, you can admire the gothic decorations of the baptismal font, the basin where people used to be christened according the catholic ceremony.
Behind it, you can also see the altar with a marble statue of St. John Baptist above it.
