The Baptistery of San Giovanni in Laterano in Rome, considered the oldest in the world, houses a series of architectural and artistic beauties of great importance. Having been erected by Constantine himself, and then restored and embellished over the centuries, it cannot fail to hide wonders and secrets. I already had the opportunity to write something about it, and by clicking here you can learn more. But for a tour guide like me this is not enough, because today I want to describe a little gem to you, also giving you one more reason to visit the baptistery and its little riches.

Among them, I would like to talk today about the Chapel of San Giovanni Battista. Originally built at the behest of pope Ilaro in the 5th century AD, complete with fantastic mosaics decorating the ceiling, today some of its medieval forms and partly its eighteenth-century ones remain. As often happens, various restorations and renovations have completely modified its exterior and decorations. Just think of how the mosaics have disappeared, while the statue of the Saint is certainly not from the 5th century but from the mid-18th century, created by Luigi Valadier. The latter took as a model another sculptural work, wooden this time, which according to some traditions could even be ascribed to Donatello. This attests, once again, how the artistic heritage, in Italy and in Rome in particular, is an inexhaustible source and how, moreover, the Baptistery of San Giovanni had been the subject of restoration and interventions for a long time. This oval-shaped chapel, in fact, was restored especially under pope Honorius III in the thirteenth century, a pontiff who was very attentive to the renewal and modernization of churches, basilicas and chapels. But there is more, which makes this chapel truly unique. His so-called Melodious Doors! It is said, in fact, that the bronze doors, turning around the hinges, emitted such a harmonious sound that it seemed to be produced by an organ. The secret lies in the fact that the doors are not only made of bronze, but also have a component of silver and, perhaps, gold. A real shame that this sound is no longer heard due to an attack in 1993 by mafiosi, in a certainly dark period in Italy's recent history.

What certainly remains imprinted in the memory is represented by the words that Dante himself dedicated to these doors and to this almost celestial sound, which he described as "singing" doors. And if someone like him says it, we have to believe it! It is therefore interesting to note how in Rome even the details count, of course. And although sometimes, as in this specific case, we can no longer enjoy certain wonders of the past, this does nothing but contribute to further enriching the artistic and historical legacy of a city like Rome .