Baptistry of St John

The Baptistry of St. John (Italian: Battistero di San Giovanni) is a religious building in Pisa, Italy. It was started in 1153, in replacement of an older baptistry, and completed in 1363. It is located in the Piazza dei Miracoli, near the Pisa and the famous leaning Tower.

The structure is 54.86 m high, with a circumference of 107.24 m, and is the largest baptistry in Italy. The Baptistry has an example of the transition from the Romanesque style to the Gothic style: the lower registers are in the Romanesque style, with rounded marches, while the upper registers are in the Gothic style, with pointed arches. The Baptistry is constructed of marble, plentiful and often used in Italian architecture.

Constructed on the same unstable sand as the Tower, the Baptistry (as well as the Cathedral) leans 0.6 degrees toward the cathedral. Within, a marble pulpit can be found, carved by Nicola Pisano in 1260. The interior is spacious and acoustically perfect.

Posted by Jack on 27 January, 2008

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