Baptistery of San Giovanni in Corte
In Pistoia, a masterpiece of Tuscan Gothic
The Baptistery of San Giovanni in Corte represents a precious Gothic building built in the mid-14ᵗʰ century on the remnants of the ancient Church of Santa Maria in Corte, dating from the Lombard period, then rebuilt in its present form with an octagonal base as of 1301. Located in Pistoia’s Piazza del Duomo, the Baptistery stands opposite the San Zeno Cathedral and the Bell Tower. It is considered one of the highest expressions of Pistoian and Tuscan Gothic.
The exterior structure, entirely clad in white and green marble from Siena, Prato and Carrara, is topped with a lantern and a balustrade adorned with statues and spires. Inside is the baptismal font, within which is the signature of the sculptor, Lanfranco da Como, and the year in which it was carved, 1226.
