The octagonal Battistero di San Giovani, (Baptistery of St. John) stands in the Piazza del Duomo just outside the the west facing entrance to the Duomo. Through the 19th century, virtually every Florentine citizen was baptized here. This baptistery was built near the end of the era when Catholic churches had separate baptisteries. They were more common prior to the 9th century when infant baptism became increasingly common. Also, as sprinkling replaced immersion in the Catholic Church, there was less need for separate baptisteries and they were no longer built. A baptistery has stood on this site from ca. the fourth of fifth centuries. This baptistery was begun in 1059. Construction continued in stages through 1128.