Florence, completed the restoration of Mother Earth in the floor of the Baptistery

After restoration work, Mother Earth, one of the most fascinating inlaid marble carpets in the Baptistery of San Giovanni in Florence, is once again revealed to the public. TheOpera di Santa Maria del Fiore has completed the restoration of the 3.30-by-3.30-meter portion of the floor, which features geometric motifs and a rich iconography of oriental-derived fantastical animals, including simurg, or the legendary birds of Persian mythology, rampant griffins and other mythological figures.

The work, made of Apuan white marble and green serpentine from Prato, had suffered severe deterioration over the centuries, with a significant loss of the original material that had compromised its legibility. The restoration, carried out directly by the technicians of the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore and made possible thanks to the contribution of the American tourism company Tauck, made it possible to restore the visibility of the original design, respecting the principles of reversibility and recognizability of the intervention.

Vincenzo Vaccaro, advisor to the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore, says, “We are grateful to Tauck for this contribution that has enabled the restoration of Mother Earth. Private interventions, such as this one, are important for our institution because they help it pursue the purposes for which it exists and that is the protection, promotion and enhancement of the monuments of Florence Cathedral. The Opera has now been engaged for more than a decade in the restoration of the Baptistery, one of the city’s symbolic monuments, in order to be able to preserve its extraordinary beauty and give it to the citizens of Florence and the world.”

Jennifer Tombaugh, CEO of Tauck, says, “We are thrilled to support the restoration of the inlaid marble floor of Mother Earth in the Baptistery of San Giovanni as part of our 100th anniversary celebration in Florence. Our purpose is to enhance the lives of our guests by providing enriching travel experiences, and as part of that mission, we are committed to protecting and preserving the destinations we visit for future generations. That’s why, in addition to supporting the restoration of Mother Earth, our centennial celebration in Florence also includes more than 1,400 hours of volunteer work, provided by Tauck employees and the Tauck family itself, for various restoration, beautification and education projects throughout the city.”

A sacred path between earth and sky

The floor of the Baptistery of San Giovanni, the oldest monument in Florence, is composed of several inlaid sections dating back to the early 13th century. Mother Earth is located in a strategic position on the symbolic route that the faithful took during baptismal processions.

Passing through the Gate of Paradise, one would walk over Mother Earth, a representation of the earthly world with its natural elements and animals. One then continued past the zodiacal band, a symbol of the celestial sphere, to finally reach the baptismal font (removed in the 16th century), a place of grace and salvation.

The work, executed with slabs of white marble juxtaposed with 5-millimeter joints and embellished with inlays of green serpentine, has suffered progressive degradation over time, accentuated by centuries of trampling. Prato’s green serpentine, in fact, tends to shatter and flake rapidly, leading to the disappearance of large portions of the design. For this reason, the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore has decided to prohibit direct access to the restored pavement, but guarantee its full visibility to visitors.

A piece of the great restoration of the Baptistery

The intervention on Mother Earth is part of a larger restoration project involving the entire Baptistery of Florence, under the high supervision of the Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio for the metropolitan city of Florence and the provinces of Prato and Pistoia.

Restoration of the exterior facades and roof has been completed since 2014, followed by restoration of the interior walls and mosaics. Currently underway is the restoration of the marble floors and medieval mosaics of the vault, a monumental work that began in 2023 and will continue for another four years.

Thanks to these interventions, the Baptistery of San Giovanni continues to reveal its extraordinary artistic richness, returning to visitors a Florence that is increasingly aware of and respectful of its historical heritage.

Florence, completed the restoration of Mother Earth in the floor of the Baptistery

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