Dusting down the Baptistery

The aim of the restoration is to recover the structural stability of the mosaics and their adhesion to the dome, returning the glory of the gold background and the bright colours of the glass tiles. An intricate mushroom-shaped scaffolding has been erected to perform the restoration.

“The Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore was established to build the Florence Cathedral and manage the resources devoted to its maintenance,”

remarked Luca Bagnoli, president of the Opera del Duomo organization, which preserves and protects the monuments that make up the cathedral complex.

“The next phase of its development, which was specified in the concordat between the Italian State and the Catholic Church, entrusted the Opera with two aims: 1) to maintain the cathedral buildings in their capacity as sites for worship and 2) to preserve the structures in their capacity as cultural assets of the entire collectivity, as a World Heritage Site. Restoration of the mosaics of the Baptistery dome falls completely within the parameters of the two aims and represents the continuation of the campaign begun in 2014 and which will end in 2028.”

The new accessibility of the dome’s mosaics provides a unique experience that will only be possible during the restoration. The public will now be able to see the dome’s interior up close, showcasing works that date to 1225. Originating from preparatory drawings by artists such as Cimabue and Coppo di Marcovaldo, the Last Judgement is displayed in a grandiose scene, surrounded by narrations of the Stories of Genesis, Joseph the Jew and Christ and the Baptist. The depiction of Christ as Judge is believed to have been the source of inspiration for the depiction of Hell in Dante’s Divine Comedy.

The restoration is being financed by the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore, in agreement with the Archdiocese of Florence, under the supervision of the Department for Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape of the Metropolitan City of Florence and the provinces of Prato and Pistoia.