Little embarrassed to need this clarification, but the website for the cathedral museum, the campanile, the baptistery, etc. states that the baptistery is under renovation, and I’m not sure if that means it will be closed until completion, or parts will be obstructed.
I’ve been to Florence about five times without seeing the baptistery, and I was really hoping this year would be different.
We were there May 2022
Closed-no visitors
Upkeep on 500+ years old buildings is really a pain in the _____.
So on the bright side, you have a reason to go back. :-)
LOL. We were there in May, 2015 and it was closed then.
This might be helpful? They don't say if this tour (GUIDED TOUR TO BAPTISTERY'S RESTORATION SITE (TOUR IN ENGLISH) is the ONLY way to get into the baptistry, or what happens after Apr.29th but you could write them and ask what to expect on your dates of travel?
https://operaduomofirenze.skiperformance.com/en/store#/en/buy?skugroup_id=1426
This is the email address for questions:
[email protected]
Editing to add: looks like they're offering the BAPTISTERY & MUSEUM - GUIDED TOUR (TOUR IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE) tour clear up to next November, and it's at a more economical price. My guess is that it's because it doesn't include being able to get up close to the mosaics. But while they apologize for the restoration work, they don't say that they skip the baptistry entirely. Write and ask?
The renovations in the baptistery happen to be in this weeks Religion News photo spread here:
https://religionnews.com/2023/02/10/photos-of-the-week-church-restorations-super-bowl-nun-fandoms/
Thanks all.
My brother mentioned something to me about people being allowed in to see the restoration as it happens, but who believes their brother?!
I’ll pursue the leads you’ve provided.
On Oct 3, 2022, we entered the Baptistry without issue. Perhaps the repairs started after.
When the are restructuration, cleaning and work on monuments in Italy is always difficult find details about when they start and when finish, what is opened and covered and so on. So: don't worry to be confused.
Honestly, checking the official website I'm a little confused too....
This is the best news I have found: https://duomo.firenze.it/en/opera-magazine/post/8538/al-via-il-restauro-dei-magnifici-mosaici-
policromi-a-fondo-oro-della-cupola-del-battistero-di-firenze-che-durera-6-anni (In Italian....). If I'm right the Baptistery now is opened and the restructuration of the internal facades has been completed. Has started one month ago the restructuration of the mosaic on the dome, that in fact now are covered (see the picture in the article).
For you the very good news is that is allowed twice a week a tour to climb the scaffolds to watch the mosaics from very close! Is this: https://duomo.firenze.it/en/exclusive-tours/8532/the-baptistery-and-the-restoration-site-of-the-mosaic-of-the-vault
Maybe is what you brother listen. ;-)
I also read about the viewing up close, so thank you Ricky for providing a link to that information.
Every year I come across favorite places that are closed for renovation, or at least the facade is covered. I am so grateful that these places are being taken care of! They've been around for hundreds or thousands of years and deserve all the tender loving care they can get. Yes, I was a bit disappointed but I'll survive - I just want them to survive too for generations to come. I'll take closures as a sign of hope.
Update:
I emailed with a question about whether the restoration might be completed by the end of April, since the tours are only available to book until April 29th. Received a very quick response, advising me to visit the website on April 23rd, when an announcement will be posted there.
So it’s a waiting game.
You can now buy tickets for the baptistery restoration site through November (in English on Fridays and Saturdays, 11 am)! They take you up the scaffolding and you can see the mosaics close up.
Just released today:
https://operaduomofirenze.skiperformance.com/en/store#/en/buy
If you don't want to go on the tour, my understanding is that you can still enter the baptistery, but you won't be able to see the ceiling with the mosaics as it's covered with a cloth.
Yes it's open. we went in 3 days ago. but maybe it's just me.... with scaffolds and being very dark inside, I only spent 5 minutes inside... I found museum is much much fun and informative to visit. The original doors are there.
