The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, commonly referred to as the Duomo, is the Florentine and Renaissance landmark, and architectural masterpiece of Florence. Work began in 1296 in the Gothic style, designed by Arnolfo di Cambio and was completed in 1436 with the dome engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi. The Duomo was built by Brunelleschi using neither supports nor scaffolding. The exterior of the basilica is faced with marble panels in various shades of green, pink, and white and has an extremely elaborate 19th century facade by Emilio De Fabris because the original façade was destroyed in the 1500s. The cathedral complex, located in Piazza del Duomo, includes the Baptistery and Giotto's Campanile (the bell tower). The three buildings are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site covering the historic center of Florence.
We highly recommend starting your day by picking up a panino from a self-service restaurant nearby Piazza del Duomo and sitting on the stairs of the Duomo before entering. It’s a great time to people watch, take in the sites of the Baptistery, admire the Gates of Paradise, and even the men giving horse and carriage rides to tourists. The interior of the Duomo has been left relatively bare since most of the great pieces of artwork have been moved to the Museo
dell’Opera del Duomo, located on the east side of Piazza del Duomo. Despite the lack of art, there is still room to appreciate the massive Gothic arches, the patterned marble flooring, and the 15th century stained glass windows, which are among Italy’s greatest. Steps to the Crypt of Santa Reparata lead down from the south aisle. The finds from the excavation in the 1920s date back between the sixth and 12th centuries. The space has archaeological finds date back to Roman times. Entry to the crypt costs €3, while entry inside the cathedral is
free!
Climbing the 463 steps to the top of the Cupola of Santa Maria del Fiore is a must! You will be able to get a 360° view of the entire city of Florence and surrounding areas that are absolutely breathtaking. Entry to the Cupola is €8, and there are no student discounts available. Upon climbing a couple set of stairs, the first stopping point is the gallery that runs on the interior of the dome, with an amazing close-up of Vasari and Zuccari’s Last Judgment fresco on the ceiling of the dome. As you continue to walk up the winding and narrow stairs, you can stop for some beautiful views out the small windows on the way up. Once on top of the Cupola, you will be able to see all of the main sights of Florence - Santa Maria Novella to the West, Santo Spirito to the South, Santa Croce and Palazzo Vecchio to the East, and the Synagogue to the North.
The Battistero (Baptistery) was originally Florence’s cathedral, eventually replaced by Santa Maria del Fiore. The Baptistery is one of Florence’s oldest buildings, probably dating from around the sixth to seventh century. The Baptistery is most famous for its three sets of Bronze doors, the south set designed by Andrea Pisano, and the other two sets by Lorenzo Ghiberti. Ghiberti, at the age of 20, won the commission for the north doors in a competition. Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise, on the east side of the Baptistery, are made up of 10 relief panels of biblical subjects. They are extremely important because of Ghiberti’s use of perspective, extending the scenes into the background, which was a new concept at the time. The current Gates of Paradise is a reproduction – the original panels are kept in the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo. Admission to the Baptistery is €4, with no student discount. However, we recommend that you take a quick look of the glittering inside, of the place where Dante was baptized, but from the outside.
The Campanile, or Giotto’s Bell Tower, was designed by Giotto in 1334. Giotto died before it was completed, and both Andrea Pisano and Francesco Talenti altered the original design considerably and oversaw the completion. The building is covered with green, pink, and white marble, and is decorated with copies of sculptures and reliefs showing prophets and scenes from the Old Testament. The original reliefs and sculptures are also in the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo. Entry is €6, with no student discount. There are 414 steps to the top of the tower, with 360° views of Florence as well.
The Museo dell’Opera del Duomo contains the sculptures and paintings from the Duomo complex, which are too precious to leave subject to pollution. Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise are the main attraction; however, there are also works by many leading sculptors. The works of Donatello and Michelangelo show a great overview of Florentine sculpture. Michelangelo’s Pieta, his last work which he created when he was 80, intended for his tomb but not finished, is also located in the Museo. Entry to the Museo is €6, with no student discount.
Our Recommendations
Recently, all traffic around the Duomo has been restricted; therefore it is great to be able to take in the views of the entire Duomo sans cars. On the south side of the Duomo are artists who draw caricatures, stalls of souvenir salesmen, and men very eager to sell their posters. Also on the south side of the Piazza is B. Gallo, a restaurant with well-priced pasta dinners (€3 euro cover), or stand at the bar for some reasonably priced caffè. Located next to B. Gallo is an Irish pub, Old Stove, with good priced drinks, great drink specials, and dollar nights, where you can get rid of your spare dollars for drinks! Two streets that room from the south side of the Duomo, Via Roma and Via dei Calzaiuoli, and another that runs from the west, Via de’ Cerretani, are great streets to go shopping for all sorts of fashion items. On the north side of the Duomo is a Ben & Jerry’s if you’re looking for some ice cream, or there are many other gelato parlors encompassing the entire Duomo. One of our favorite views in Florence is the view of the Duomo is at night. It looks unreal after sunset, so if you get the chance to take a stroll past the Duomo at night, we highly recommend it!
