Lateran Baptistery
Octagonal fourth-century baptistery, the oldest of its kind in the Western Christian world.
Location
About this audio guide
This guide to the Lateran Baptistery in Rome centers on a legend that shaped Christendom for a thousand years, that Constantine, the emperor who legalized Christianity, was baptized here in this octagonal room by Pope Sylvester I. It traces the building's consecration around 440 under Pope Sixtus III, when it stood as Rome's only baptistery, and the silver deer Constantine is said to have donated for the font. Look for the eight porphyry columns ringing the room.
This audio guide was created using AI.
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