Booking choice: The historic old town walk, from $23 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
The Baptistery of San Giovanni Battista stands opposite the cathedral in Piazza Duomo. Benedetto Antelami began it in 1196, and his name is carved over the north portal. Work stopped when the marble ran out, resumed in 1249, and the building was consecrated in 1270.
Unlike the cathedral, it is not free. This guide covers what you see outside and inside, what the pass costs and where to buy it, whether any tour goes in, and whether it is worth EUR 12.
The quick answer
The Baptistery is Benedetto Antelami's octagonal building in pink Verona marble, begun in 1196 and consecrated in 1270. Inside, sixteen sides rise to a ribbed dome with 13th and 14th-century frescoes in six bands. Entry is by the EUR 12 pass, shared with the Diocesan Museum and valid two days, sold only at the museum or on the cathedral authority's site. For most visitors it is worth it; allow 30 to 45 minutes.
What is the Parma Baptistery?
An octagonal Romanesque baptistery in pink Verona marble by Benedetto Antelami, begun in 1196 and consecrated in 1270, still used for baptisms.
Outside it has eight sides; inside, sixteen. The octagonal immersion font in the centre has been in use since the 14th century. Antelami was both its architect and its sculptor.
What should you look for outside?
Four tiers of open loggias, eight turrets, a band of 75 carved panels called the zooforo, and three sculpted portals.
- The zooforo: a frieze of 75 panels running round the base, with real and fantastic animals, sirens and signs of the zodiac.
- North portal, of the Virgin: the Adoration of the Magi, with Antelami's inscription of 1196 on the architrave.
- West portal, of the Judgement.
- South portal, of Life: the legend of Barlaam, a man eating honey in a tree while danger closes in.
All of this is free to see from the square, which is why every walking tour stops here.
What is inside the Baptistery?
A sixteen-sided hall rising to a dome 23.25 metres across, with 16 ribs and 13th to 14th-century frescoes in six concentric bands.
Read the dome from the centre outwards: a starry sky, then the apostles, the evangelists, prophets, and the life of St John the Baptist. Lower down are painted niches and arches, and in the middle the octagonal font. The Baptistery also holds Antelami's sculpted cycle of the Months and Seasons, left incomplete.
See the square with a guide first, then use your pass: the old-town walk includes the cathedral.
Check dates for the historic old town walkHow much is the Baptistery ticket, and where do you buy it?
EUR 12 full, EUR 10 reduced, free under 13, EUR 25 for a family; one pass covers the Baptistery and Diocesan Museum for two days.
Buy it at the information office in the entrance of the Diocesan Museum, Vicolo del Vescovado 3/a, or online on the Fabbriceria's booking page (up to five people per online booking). It is not sold on GetYourGuide or Viator. Groups of six or more paying people pay EUR 10 each, cathedral visit included, with booking.
| Ticket | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Full | EUR 12 | Baptistery and Diocesan Museum, 2 days |
| Reduced | EUR 10 | Students, over 65, teachers |
| Under 13 | Free | |
| Family | EUR 25 | 2 adults + children under 18 |
| Visitors with disabilities | Free | With one companion, no queue |
| Cathedral | Free | Individual visitors |
Do any tours go inside the Baptistery?
None of the tours listed on this site includes the Baptistery pass. Group walks show it from outside, and the private tours stop at the zooforo.
The historic old town walk visits the cathedral and shows the Baptistery from outside; some reviewers say they wanted more interiors. The private churches tour walks around it to look at the zooforo. The $7 audio guide has a Baptistery stop but the ticket is extra. Our advice: book the walk, then buy the pass and go in on your own, today or tomorrow.
Want commentary inside? The $7 phone guide covers the Baptistery and museum stops at your own pace; buy the pass separately.
Explore the Parma audio guideIs the Parma Baptistery worth EUR 12?
For most visitors, yes: the interior is the highlight of Piazza Duomo, the pass includes the Diocesan Museum, and it lasts two days.
Skip it only if you are short of time and have seen the cathedral, which is free, or if you are simply passing through the square. Families get the best value: EUR 25 for two adults and all their children under 18, and under-13s are free anyway. If you pay, use the free Piazza Duomo Parma app: scan the pass to unlock its content, and ask the ticket office for earphones.
What is in the Diocesan Museum?
The museum in the old bishop's buildings is named after Benedetto Antelami and shares the Baptistery pass; it is a short walk across the square.
It keeps the same hours, 10 AM to 6 PM every day, and has the lift and the accessible toilet for the whole square. The entrance, in Vicolo del Vescovado 3/a, is also where you buy the pass, so the easy order is museum office, museum, then Baptistery. The full hours and rules are in tickets and opening hours.
How long do you need, and when should you go?
30 to 45 minutes in the Baptistery. It opens 10 AM to 6 PM daily, last entry 15 minutes before closing, and visits pause during services.
Late morning, after the cathedral, works well: the Baptistery opens at 10 AM, the cathedral at 7:45 AM. Wheelchair users enter by the ramp at the south portal. Planning a whole day? Try Parma in one day.
Two hours with a local guide, the cathedral inside and the Baptistery explained outside, from $23.
Check dates for the historic old town walkFrequently asked questions
What are the Parma Baptistery opening hours?
Every day from 10 AM to 6 PM, with last entry 15 minutes before closing. Visits are suspended during religious services.
Is the Baptistery included in the cathedral visit?
No. The cathedral is free; the Baptistery needs the EUR 12 pass, which also covers the Diocesan Museum.
Is the Baptistery wheelchair accessible?
Yes, by a ramp at the south portal. The outside can be seen without obstacles.
Who built the Parma Baptistery?
Benedetto Antelami, who began it in 1196; his inscription is on the north portal. It was consecrated in 1270.
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Choose your tour
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Old Town Walk with the Duomo
- Certified local guide, Italian and English (often bilingual in one group)
- Parma Cathedral visit; the Baptistery and museums are seen from outside
- City map and a mini guidebook; microphones for groups over 15
Parma Walking Tour with Audio Guide by a Local
Your own pace, in five languages
Private Guide: Parma's Churches and Correggio
- Private walking tour with a licensed guide (Italian or English)
- Inside San Giovanni Evangelista and the Cathedral, both with Correggio's domes
- Santa Maria della Steccata, with Parmigianino's frescoes
