Florence Baptistery

The Florence Baptistery located in Florence, Italy serves as a religious structure. This building is one of the oldest in Florence with its octagonal figure. This building is simply stunning especially for being built 1059. Up until the 19th century nearly all florentine catholics were baptized in this building. What the baptistery is best know for is the bronze set of doors located on the south, north, and east doors. The most famous of the doors being constructed by Lorenzo Ghiberti. These doors feature reliefs created by Ghiberti and have been described by other artists and famous Renaissance personal as "the Gates of Paradise."

In the year 1401 a competition was to be had between artists to design the bronze doors. Seven artists competed including the likes of Donatello, Brunelleschi, and Ghiberti. Ghiberti who was 21 years of age at the time won the commission and was set to make the north and east doors. At the time of the judging it was unclear who had won and it was up to both Brunelleschi and Ghiberti to work on the project together. Brunelleschi decided to leave for Rome, so the task was solely bestowed upon Ghiberti.

It took Ghiberti 21 years to complete the project. The bronze doors consist of twenty-eight panels, twenty of which depict the life of Christ from the New Testament. The lower eight panels depict the evangelists and the Church Fathers, Saint Ambrose, Jerome, Gregory, and Augustine. The most famous of the panels is said to be the "Sacrifice of Isaac."