BAPTISTERY OF SAINT JOHN - FLORENCE

CLEANING OF PART OF THE MARBLE FAÇADE    

The restoration of the Baptistery in Florence was a conservative act aimed at eliminating the layers of incrustations and consolidating and redefining the marble elements that have degraded over time.

The restoration, which was carried out by the San Zanobi Consortium in which a group of Florentine companies was involved, was particularly complex as the eight facades had encrustations of different nature and thickness  due to the heterogeneity of the materials used and to the different exposure to atmospheric agents.

The use of laser technology has proved fundamental for the cleaning of over-damaged surfaces that would not endure traditional cleaning of chemical or mechanical nature, such as window frames.

The capitals were also cleaned by laser, which, thanks to its extreme precision and selectivity, allowed to preserve the weather patterns, at the same time speeding up the operation.

Laser -scanning, iconographic and historical studies and diagnostic campaigns were carried out by the University of Florence and the ICVBC - CNR. The restoration of the lantern was also very demanding, it was  necessary to consolidate the structure and to remove the alteration from the gilding of the ball and the cross.

After 70 years since the last conservative intervention, the Baptistery has resumed in the heart of Florence.