Schmap Florence Piazza del Duomo

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Florence - Piazza del Duomo
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Piazza del Duomo is a great place to start a tour that will uncover some of Florence's historical beauty. Not only is the piazza rich in history, but it's an architectural delight too. One of the first sights you will see is the Baptistery, dedicated to St John the Baptist (patron saint of Florence) and one of the oldest buildings in the city. It was constructed in its current form in the eleventh century. Besides the beautiful interior (richly decorated with mosaics), there are glorious medieval and Renaissance bronze doors by Andrea Pisano and Lorenzo Ghiberti. A reconstructed version of Michelangelo's eastern door (known as “ The Gateway to Paradise ” because of its beauty) is also visible. If you want to see some of Michelangelo's original panels, they are located in the Cathedral Museum, which has been recently reopened after a long closure. The museum is situated on the piazza, behind the apse of the cathedral. Amongst other things, it contains precious sculptures as well as exhibits connected to the buildings that are dotted around the piazza.

In front of the Baptistery is the Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral, which was built by Arnolfo di Cambio in 1296 to replace the old Santa Reparata cathedral. The archaeological remains of this cathedral are in the basement of the present church. Di Cambio's building was only completed one hundred and fifty years later with the addition of the enormous cupola (dome) that sits above the church's transept. Filippo Brunelleschi, a truly gifted Renaissance architect designed the dome. It is possible to reach the top of the cupola (access is on the right hand side of the church), which is 107m from ground level but there is no lift so you will have to climb over 400 steps. It is definitely worth climbing the steps, not just for the beautiful view that awaits you at the top, but also so that you can begin to appreciate the mastery of Brunelleschi, as the cupola is truly an extraordinary feat of architecture.

The interior of the cathedral itself is also well worth visiting, even though at times there can be a queue. Amongst other things, you will be able to see the frescoes beneath the cupola, painted in the second half of the sixteenth century by Vasari and Zucchari. The frescoes cover an area of around 3600m2 and represent ‘Universal Justice'. It is also worth taking a look at the Sacristy where Lorenzo de Medici sought refuge during the Pazzi conspiracy when his brother Giuliano was killed in the cathedral. Here you will also see the lined marquetries created by a group of artists including Giuliano and Benedetto da Maiano. There are two frescoes on the right of the nave as you turn towards the exit: Giovanni Acuto (John Hawkwood) by Paolo Uccello and Niccolò da Tolentino by Andrea del Castagno.

As you leave the cathedral, you will see the ‘Campanile di Giotto' (‘Giotto's Bell Tower'). Giotto himself began work on the tower. In this case too, a climb to the top is recommended - but take care if you suffer from vertigo!

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Baptistry

Roman baptistery

Piazza San Giovanni
Florence 50129
Italy
+39 55 230 2885

Although the Baptistery's precise origins remain unclear, its foundations are known to date back to Roman times. The central doors are stunning works of art, depicting scenes from the Old and New Testament and they have been called The Gates of Paradise. Lorenzo Ghiberti who worked on them from 1403 to 1424 designed these ornate doors. Inside, the octagonal structure is richly decorated with Roman columns and gilded column heads. The floor's marble inlay features Islamic-style patterns and the apse is decorated with 13th-century mosaics. Coppo di Marcovaldo and Cimabue were among those involved in the cupola's decorative mosaic work. Admission: EUR 3.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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The Duomo

The Renowned "Duomo" of Florence Piazza del Duomo
Florence 50122
Italy
+39 055294514 As the city's skyline symbol, the legendary Duomo is famous above all for its dome: Filippo Brunelleschi's Renaissance masterpiece, completed in 1436, created a double dome shell so that the dome is entirely self-supporting. It still stands as the largest masonry dome in the world, containing over 4,000,000 bricks! Climb to the top (all 463 steps) to get an unforgettable panoramic view of the city which has changed little in the past 500 years. Construction started in 1296 on the site of the Roman basilica of Santa Reparata of which there are still visible remains with a design by the great Florentine architect, Arnolfo di Cambio. The existing neo-Gothic façade was added in the 19th century by Emilio De Fabris. Covering a massive 3,600 square meters, the frescoes inside the dome depict the Last Judgement, painted by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari. For those interested the two frescoes on the left-hand wall of the nave are dedicated to two of the most famous mercenaries in Florentine history who are buried in the cathedral: Giovanni Acuto (the Italianized name of the Englishman Sir John Hawkwood) by Paolo Uccello and the other Niccolò da Tolentino by the great Andrea del Castagno. If you can stand the throngs of people and get a good spot early, come on Easter Sunday for the Scioppo del carro (Explosion of the Cart) where a oxen-drawn cart stuffed with fireworks comes from Prato to the center of the city and ignited. Admission to Church: Free; Admission to climb the cupola: EUR 6.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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