Florence Baptistery's Three Bronze Doors Reunited After 40-Year Restoration

After more than 40 years of restoration work by the Opificio delle Pietre Dure di Firenze, the three monumental bronze and gold doors of the Baptistery of Florence are now displayed together for the first time in the Sala del Paradiso at the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo. The cycle of interventions began in 1978 and concluded days ago with the restoration of the gilding on the oldest door, the Porta Sud, created between 1330 and 1336 by Andrea Pisano, and the recovery of sculptural details. The Porta Est, known as the Porta del Paradiso, is a fully Renaissance masterpiece by Lorenzo Ghiberti and his assistants. The Porta Nord and Porta Sud are also included. During the 1966 flood, the Porta Sud was severely damaged: some panels fell and one of the 48 lion heads was lost, possibly swept away by the water.