“Madre Terra” inlaid floor design shines again in the Baptistery

“Madre Terra” inlaid floor design shines again in the Baptistery

An inlaid marble floor design known as Madre Terra (Mother Earth) has been restored in the Florence Baptistery

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Fri 31 Jan 2025 2:54 PM

The 3.3 x 3.3 metre section depicts the tree of life as well as exotic animals, like griffins and simurgs (mythological bird-like beings) from Persia. The artwork consists of white Apuan marble and green serpentine from nearby Prato, which had disintegrated due to foot traffic over the centuries, causing the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore, the cathedral’s governing body, to restrict access in recent years.

Madre Terra Mother Earth Battistero Baptistry
Mother Earth before and after the restoration, Courtesy of the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore
Madre Terra Mother Earth Battistero Baptistry

Madre Terra makes up part of the oldest floor of the Baptistery, distinguishing itself from the other cocciopesto pavements, and the most widely accepted hypothesis is that it dates back to the 12th century. The section was part of a sacred ritual, which started at the main door, symbolizing the Gates of Paradise, proceeded to the Mother Earth floor design, symbolizing the earthly world, through the Zodiac, the celestial sphere, concluding at the font, which was removed in the 16th century and represented the attainment of grace.

The Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore staff completed the restoration, which was made possible thanks to the contribution of Tauck, the U.S.-based tour operator that is celebrating its 100th anniversary in Florence.

Battistero Baptistry

This restoration effort is part of a wider initiative by the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore and the Superintendence of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape, which has been restoring the oldest monuments in the city since 2014. The roof coverings, external façades and internal mosaic walls of the Baptistery have already been restored, and work began on the floors and the medieval mosaics of the dome in 2023, an effort that is expected to take five years.

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