Cathedral Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore(Duomo) was built on the site of Santa Reparata, an ancient basilica. Its construction was started by Arnolfo di Cambio at the end of the 13th century. The beautiful dome was added in the 15th century, and the facade of the church was completed only in the 19th century. The cathedral is given a special beauty by covering the façade with marble in pink, white and green colors. On March 25, 1436 it was consecrated by Pope Eugene IV.
Business card of Florence
La Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore - the most famous building in Florence, which has become a symbol of the city. The majestic complex consists of 5 monuments: the dome, the Baptistery, the bell tower of Giotto's Campanile, the crypt of the Holy Reparatus and the Opera del Duomo museum-gallery. Its grandeur and size are such that it is completely impossible to photograph. 153 m - length, width - 90 m, and 90 m height from the floor to the top of the lantern.
On the facade there is a statue of the Mother of God with a baby and a lily in her hand, that’s why it’s called - Cathedral of the Holy Virgin Mary with flower. On either side of the Mother of God there are statues of the 12 apostles. At the top, in the round window (tympanum), is an image of the Heavenly Father looking down on us sinners. The interior of the cathedral is quite austere.
Entrance to the cathedral is free, which is why there are long queues. They usually move quickly. If your group is more than 4 people, you can rent an audio guide for a couple of euros per person and skip the line. A single ticket to view the entire ensemble costs 10 euros.
Dome
Octagonal vaulted dome designed Filippo Brunelleschi, a famous Italian architect, has a characteristic egg shape. It was made (1418-1434) without the use of scaffolding. A unique masterpiece that can withstand lightning and earthquakes, it captivates everyone. The dome has a diameter of 45.5 meters, height - 42 m, weight - approximately 40,000 tons, 4 million bricks in the structure!
The best way to admire the dome is to climb 463 steps (no elevator). The trail goes inside the dome and allows you to see the beautiful frescoes Giorgio Vasari. Unfortunately, he did not have time to finish the work. After his death it was completed Federico Zuccari, his student, in 1579. The frescoes were completely restored in 1996. As you continue to climb, you will reach a special platform at the top of the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore.
The view of Florence from here is amazing.
Baptistery of San Giovanni
The Baptistery of St. John is the oldest building in the square. For centuries it was considered a pagan temple. Later Christians modified it to suit their needs. The first baptistery was erected in the 5th or early 6th century.
In the mid-11th century, it was decorated with expensive marble and transformed into what we see today. In the 12th-13th centuries, a monumental dome and a rectangular apse (scarsella) on the west side were added to the baptistery. The building becomes an object of civic pride. Dante calls him "beautiful St. John's." In the 14th-16th centuries, external sculptural decorations appeared: three sets of bronze doors and marble sculptures above them.
Upon entering, visitors' attention is drawn to the precious mosaic of the dome. Three of the eight sides of the dome are occupied by images with scenes of the Last Judgment, dominated by the figure of Christ. The overlapping horizontal registers of the other five segments depict St. John the Baptist, the city's patron saint. In the center, in a high register, are the angelic hierarchies.
The oldest doors - on the south side - work Andrea Pisano 1330 Next are the northern doors, made by Lorenzo Ghiberti (1402-1425). And finally, to the east, are the “Gates of Paradise” (as Michelangelo called them) by Ghiberti 1425-1450. They were later replaced with copies.
Giotto's Campanile
Giotto's bell tower is one of the five main components of the ensemble on area Piazza del Duomo. Its height is 84.70 meters, width is about 15 m. It is the most eloquent evidence of Florentine Gothic architecture of the 14th century.
The majestic bell tower with a square base, covered with marble in white, red and green colors (the same colors decorate the cathedral), is considered the most beautiful in Italy. Construction began by Giotto in 1334. By the time of his death in 1337, Giotto had only completed the first part of the project. Andrea Pisano completed the first two floors, strictly following Giotto's design.
In 1359 the work was completed. The many windows, large and gabled, make the Gothic building look elegant while maintaining a classical setting overall. The large terrace, located more than 400 m from the ground, has become a wonderful panoramic platform.
Crypt of Saint Reparatus
Excavations in 1965-1973 revealed the remains of an ancient basilica Santa Reparata It had three naves, colonnades that surrounded a central hall, and a worship area. Santa Reparata served until 1379.
The remains of four temples have been discovered here. These are numerous fragments of walls and floors of houses of the Roman “Florentia”. The multi-colored mosaic floor is admirable. A special symbol - the peacock of immortality - is one of the few graphic elements preserved on it.
Florentine fresco work painter Giotto mid-14th century decorates a semicircular wall. Here you will see numerous tombstones. Among them are Lando Janus, chaplain of Santa Reparata, who died in 1353, and Nicholas Squarcialupi of the Medici family, who died in 1352. During the excavations, the tomb of Filippo Brunelleschi was found. However, there are no traces of the burials of Giotto, Arnolfo di Cambio, and Andrea Pisano, who are also, according to tradition, buried here.
The Museum of the Ensemble of Santa Maria del Fiore is - after the Vatican Museum - the largest collection of sacred art in the world. It amazes visitors with masterpieces Donatello, Lorenzo Ghiberti, Luca della Robbia, Antonio Pollaiolo and Michelangelo.
Among the most interesting exhibits are 40 statues made for the old facade of the cathedral and dismantled in 1586-1587. Visitors will also see unique works: the wooden statue of the Penitent Magdalene by Donatello and the Pieta by Michelangelo.
Useful information
Working hours
The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is open: from 10:00 to 17:00. Free admission.
Friday: 10:00-16:00 or 17:00, depending on the season.
Saturday: 10:00 - 16:45.
On religious holidays, Sunday: 13:30-16:45.
Closed: New Year and Christmas holidays, Epiphany and Easter.
The tower is open to the public: 8:30-19:00. Ticket - 6 euros.
Excursion schedule
Free excursions - daily every 40 minutes: 10:30-12.00, at 15:00.
How to get there
To get there: bus number 6, 14, 17, 22, 23, 36, 37, 71.
You can easily walk from the train station to Piazza Duomo in 15 minutes.
Svetlana Pruss
Address: Italy, Florence
Start of construction: 1296
Completion of construction: 1436
Architect: Arnolfo di Cambio and Filippo Brunelleschi
Coordinates: 43°46"23.2"N 11°15"24.0"E
Short description
Numerous historical documents indicate that in the 8th century BC, the lands surrounded by the Arno and Mugnone rivers were inhabited by ancient tribes. At the same time, the ancient Florentines, on the site where the majestic Duomo Cathedral stands today, created a forum, which over time turned into a trading area.
In the Middle Ages, the center of Florence was also a place where large public gatherings were held. A little later, when the Republicans came to power, it was at central square the orders of the commune rulers were announced. It would not be out of place to say that during the reign of the Medici dynasty, various events were held at this place: from solemn wedding ceremonies to blood-curdling executions.
Today, just like many centuries ago, the center of Florence is still always crowded. Every day crowds of tourists gather at this place in order to see with their own eyes one of the largest cathedrals in Italy, Santa Maria del Fiore. In addition, on the square you can meet quite a lot of merchants inviting travelers to their stalls with souvenirs, beggars and law enforcement officers - life in this place does not calm down for a minute.
Santa Maria del Fiore, which also has a second name - Duomo, is the most famous cathedral in Florence. It is rightfully considered the symbol of this Italian city, and is the most visited architectural structure by tourists. The temple arouses genuine interest among all guests of Florence without exception. The name of one of the most important cathedrals in Italy, Santa Maria del Fiore, is literally translated into Russian as “flower of St. Mary”. This is one of the largest structures in the country, crowned with the largest (!) brick dome in the world. The majestic complex, built in the Gothic style, consisting of a cathedral, baptistery and bell tower, is currently listed World Heritage UNESCO.
Bird's eye view of the cathedral
The Florence Cathedral surprises and delights at the same time. Its impressively sized dome seems to hover over the city, and the severity of clear lines inherent in the Gothic style, the unique painting of the temple, medieval bas-reliefs, interesting ancient history, dating back to the XII-XIII centuries, attracts the attention of tourists from all over the world. “No matter how many times I visit the Duomo, every time I find something new and interesting for myself. The amazing thing is that, every time you take souvenir photographs of this Italian architectural masterpiece, you are amazed at how multifaceted the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is. It is impossible to take two identical photographs from the same angle. The sun, the cloudy sky, the mood - all this changes the “picture” and makes you look at an already familiar building in a new way!”, admires one of the tourists, after another visit to the Duomo Cathedral.
Santa Maria del Fiore: history of construction
According to documents that have survived to this day, many historians have concluded that the Duomo temple was built at the end of the 13th century on the site of the Cathedral of Santa Reparata. This was not surprising, since the walls of the ancient cathedral, built in the 4th century, had become dilapidated and began to collapse. It was decided to demolish the outdated building also because it was at the end of the 13th century that economic and demographic growth was observed in Florence. The size of the temple could not accommodate everyone. The Florentines decided to emphasize their superiority over the dominant cities of Tuscany in terms of power and wealth with the largest cathedral, which surpassed in size the no less magnificent cathedrals of Siena and Pisa. Looking ahead a little, I would like to add that upon completion of all construction work, in 1434, the Church of Santa Maria del Fiore was recognized as the largest in Europe.
Cathedral facade
The first developer of the grandiose project, who laid the foundation of the temple in 1296, is considered to be Arnold di Cambio, however, Santa Maria del Fiore is the result of the fruitful work of many other artists and architects. Arnold di Cambio designed three wide naves, the top of which was crowned with an octagonal dome. In 1302, the architect died, construction was interrupted for almost three decades. In 1331, the guild of wool merchants decided to resume work on the construction of the temple, and appointed the then famous architect and artist Giotto to the post of chief architect. However, instead of continuing the construction of the cathedral, the new architect takes on the design of the bell tower or campanile. The death of the master, during whose lifetime only the first tier of the bell tower was erected, again stops the barely begun construction: at this time the plague “rules” in the city, mercilessly claiming the lives of thousands of citizens.
Work continued in 1355, this time they were led by three architects: Giovanni d'Ambrogio, Alberto Arnoldi, Neri di Fioravante. The construction of the nave was completed in 1380, but the dome remained unfinished. In 1418- m year, a competition was announced for the best dome design, in which Filippo Brunelleschi won. It was this architect who designed the legendary and largest octagonal brick dome in the world.
Baptistery of San Giovanni with the cathedral in the background
Construction of the dome began two years later and was completed only in 1436. At that time, it was the only huge octagonal dome in the world that did not have a single wooden support at its base. Despite the unfinished façade of the temple, it was consecrated by the Pope. The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore was rebuilt many more times, with long interruptions and under the leadership of many architects. Today, numerous travelers who come to the Duomo can see the structure, which was finally completed in 1887.
Santa Maria del Fiore: interior
The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore attracts the attention of hundreds of thousands of tourists due to its impressive size and original façade, decorated with numerous statues.
The shape of the Gothic cathedral is a Latin cross, which has three naves, two side transepts and a semicircular apse. The dimensions of the temple are really large: its length is just over 153 meters, and its width is 90 meters (in the transept). The height of the arches exceeds 20 meters, and the height of the entire structure, from the very base to the top of the dome, is 90 meters. At the time when the Florence Cathedral had just begun to receive parishioners within its walls, it was the largest in Europe, its capacity was almost 30 thousand people. Over time, much larger buildings appeared, among which are the Milan Cathedral in Italy, St. Paul's Cathedral in Great Britain, Cologne Cathedral in Germany and the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace in Cote d'Ivoire.
Cathedral interior
The interior decoration of the Duomo temple cannot leave any of its visitors indifferent. How could it be otherwise, since the most famous artists and sculptors worked on its interior. Many stained glass windows were created in the 1400s. In addition, on the inner walls of the dome there are frescoes dating back to the 16th century, which depict the scene of the Last Judgment.
Also prominent in the interior of the cathedral is the original clock from 1443, created by Uccello. Unlike the movement of clock hands on a dial, which is familiar to modern people - from right to left, these hands move in the opposite direction. A similar clock can be seen on one of the town halls in the European quarter of Prague.
The architectural structure is also decorated with a bas-relief depicting Giotto laying out mosaics. On the walls of the cathedral you can see paintings depicting the English condottiere John Hawkwood and the Italian condottiere Niccolo da Tolentino, the poet Dante with his “Divine Comedy”. In addition, in the cathedral you can see busts of Brunelleschi, organist Antonio Squarcialuli, and philosopher Marsilio Ficino. Also of interest is the fact that two of its creators are buried on the territory of the temple: Brunelleschi and Giotto.
Giotto's Bell Tower
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence: a reminder for tourists
The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is open to tourists every day: Monday, Wednesday, Friday - from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., but on Sunday the temple open only from 13.30 to 16.45. Absolutely free (!) tours of the cathedral are held every forty minutes.
Anyone can enter the cathedral without a ticket; those who decide to climb the tower will have to pay 6 euros. It would not be amiss to say that the tower is open to the public every day from 8.30 am to 7 pm, with the exception of Saturday: on this day it closes at 17.00. All travelers should be aware that the cathedral is closed on January 1st and 6th. Tourists are not allowed here three days before Easter. Also, the temple is closed from the prying eyes of travelers on April 25, June 24, August 15, November 1 and December 25-26.
Like a beautiful flower in paradise, the earthly embodiment of which in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance Florence was considered, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore has a genuine, unique and elusive charm. Its octagonal dome, seemingly hovering over the historical center, can be seen in thousands of thousands of photographs from hundreds of angles - but it is always different. Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence is the most controversial history of the city's formation, captured in stone.
“Change of milestones” in Florentine style
The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence is a kind of symbol of a new world in which everyone is equal not only before God, but also before people. Quite unusual for the end of the 13th century, but quite expected for residents of the 1296 model - the year the construction of Santa Maria del Fiore began.
In 1293, similar to the laws in force 1500 years earlier in Athens, Sparta and Ancient Rome, the Florentine Republic adopted the “Establishments of Justice” - the world's first anti-feudal constitution.
According to it, real power completely passed to the people - elected representatives of 21 craft workshops. Even earlier, in 1289, serfdom was completely abolished in the state.
The construction of the Florence Cathedral lasted about 600 years (1296 - 1887)
At the same time, the Florentines still thought in hierarchical medieval categories. To believe in and accept the new order, they needed a tangible symbol of sovereignty.
And what could be higher than God and the Virgin Mary? The neighbors, Siena and Pisa, were also worried. They needed to be, if not subdued, then put in their place, revealing a real miracle. And what could be more wonderful than a new temple, before which both Pisa’s Santa Maria Assunta and the Duomo di Siena would fade?
There were also quite mundane reasons for the construction of the cathedral. The old Cathedral of Saint Reparata, the patroness of Florence, built in the 4th-5th centuries, was dilapidated and was quite small for a city with a population of 90,000 people.
By 1296 they began to gradually dismantle it. The remains of this temple with the tombs of popes and bishops were discovered by archaeologists in 1965 and were soon opened to the public.
Life before the dome
So, in 1296 famous architect and the sculptor Arnolfo di Cambio began to implement a grandiose project, while simultaneously working on the Basilica of Santa Croce and.
Exactly 140 years remained before the consecration of the cathedral by Pope Eugene IV... but the project was truly grandiose. As its basis, di Cambio took not the Gothic temples already familiar to the eye, but.
Three wide naves were to converge in a high altar, above which would rise the octagonal dome of Santa Maria del Fiore, significantly larger in size than the dome of the cathedral baptistery of San Giovanni of the 11th-12th centuries, one of the oldest architectural monuments Florence.
Before his death in 1302, di Cambio managed to begin the construction of the facade of Santa Maria del Fiore, decorate its lower tier with sculptures and lay the foundation of the bell tower. Some of the sculptures were later lost, and the rest were transferred to the workshops at the cathedral, where the Opera del Duomo Museum was opened in 1891.
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Piazza Duomo in Florence
In 1331, the architect Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence Giotto was appointed, and 3 years later he began the construction of the bell tower (campanile).
According to the artist, the bas-reliefs of its facade were supposed to represent all spheres of human activity from the Creation of the world. But in 1337 he died, and the campanile was first completed by Andrea Pisano, and then by Francesco Talenti, who was appointed architect of the cathedral after the end of the plague pandemic of 1349.
The sculptures for its second tier and for the facade of the cathedral a hundred years later were created by Donatello. Now copies are installed in their place, and the originals are kept in the Opera del Duomo. The height of the campanile is 87.4 m; there are 414 steps leading up to the observation deck.
Talenti completely changed the design of Santa Maria del Fiore: the central nave was divided into 4 aisles, the transept and apse were expanded. By 1380, the main work was completed. The final length of the cathedral is 160 m, the width of the transept is 90 m.
By 1413, an octagonal vestibule for the dome was erected. During its construction, specially fired bricks were used, the use of which was suggested by the great Filippo Brunelleschi.
Everything ingenious is simple
But how to build dome of Santa Maria del Fiore? For medieval architects it was a riddle of riddles. Concerns were expressed that over more than 100 years, the walls of the temple, built under the guidance of various masters, had become tilted and would not support the dome.
The architects doubted that there was a real possibility of erecting scaffolding and formwork at such a dizzying height, and that the Signoria would finance such an adventure. The Signoria was indeed in no hurry to loosen its purse, but in 1418 it nevertheless announced a competition.
Vasari's fresco "The Last Judgment" is located on the inner walls of the dome
According to the legend cited by Vasari, Brunelleschi, obsessed with the dome project since his youth, won this competition thanks to his resourcefulness, demonstrating the solution to another, but comic riddle, later called the “Columbus egg”. Indeed, the dome of the Florence Cathedral, in contrast to its prototype - the spherical dome of the Pantheon in Rome - has an elongated shape, like an egg.
The structure, with an external diameter of 54.8 m and an internal diameter of 42 m, proposed by Brunelleschi, has a double shell supported by 8 main ribs and 16 auxiliary ribs. In this case, all the ribs are connected by 6 horizontal rings and converge at an angle of 60 degrees to the top-lantern 21 m high.
The height of the dome of the Cathedral in Florence is 116.5 m
In order for the center of gravity of the “petals” of the vault to be inside the dome, the rows of terracotta bricks were not located horizontally, but with a gradual slope from the vault to the top.
The dome of Santa Maria del Fiore was erected in 1434. In 1466, the lantern was completed, topped in 1469 with a golden ball by Antonio Verrocchio, Leonardo's teacher. The external height of the dome is 116.5 m, on its observation deck you can get there by 463 steps of a rather narrow staircase.
Santa Maria del Fiore outside and inside
The facade, begun by di Cambio, was never completed, and in 1587, by order of the Duke of Tuscany, Francis I, the Medici destroyed it. For almost 300 years, the eyes of the citizens and guests of Florence were “delighted” by the changing painted canvases.
The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore acquired its modern appearance only in 1887. The author of the façade project was Emilio de Fabris.
The outer walls of the Cathedral are lined with green, pink and white marble
For its cladding, according to the laws of Gothic and Proto-Renaissance architecture, stone of various colors was used: white marble from Carrara, pink marble from Maremma and green serpentine from Prato. The facade, replete with details in the spirit of historicism, was considered vulgar by the Florentines, but over time they got used to it.
“Just as the Duomo is bright, flowery, joyful on the outside, so on the inside it struck me with poverty, dryness, darkness,” wrote the philosopher and publicist Rozanov, who visited Florence in 1901. This is not true. Not poverty - but sacred grandeur, not dryness, but concentration, not darkness - but reverent twilight.
Under these arches Giuliano de' Medici was killed and his brother, Duke Lorenzo, was saved; its walls remember the fiery sermons of Savonarola and the rustle of Michelangelo's chisel as he worked on the never-finished Pietà.
Mosaic floor in the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (XVI-XVII centuries)
It is worth taking a closer look at the marble mosaic floors of the 16th-17th centuries, and the stained glass windows of the 15th century. Andrea del Castagno, Uccello and Ghirlandaio worked on the frescoes of the cathedral, and in 1579, thanks to Vasari and Zuccari, the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore was decorated with the monumental fresco “The Last Judgment”.
Its creators, Giotto and Brunelleschi, are buried in the aisles of the temple; one of the walls is occupied by a reverse clock, designed by Uccello in 1443.
How to get to Santa Maria del Fiore
The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, 116.5 m high, is the most impressive building in historical center Florence.
To get to it from the station, you need to exit via Panzani and then turn onto via Cerretani. From the airport to the station you can take the Vola in bus shuttle, which runs from 5:30 to 0:30. If the route runs from distant parts of the city, you will have to use buses No. 6,14, 17, 22, 23, 36, 37, 71.
Interior of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
Opening hours and tickets
The cathedral is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Sundays and during religious holidays– from 13:30 to 16:45. On Thursday and Saturday it may close half an hour to an hour earlier.
Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore(Italian: La Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore) cathedral in Florence, the most famous of architectural structures Florentine Quattrocento (a generally accepted designation for the era of Italian art of the 15th century, correlated with the period of the early Italian Renaissance).
Architecturally noteworthy are the dome, designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, and the outer wall cladding with polychrome marble panels of various shades of green and pink with a white border. The Duomo, also known as the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, was designed so that it could accommodate the entire population of the city (people at the time of construction), i.e. it was something like a huge covered square. The red dome of the cathedral, which has become a symbol of Florence, seems to float over the entire city. Dimensions of the cathedral: length 153 meters, width in the transept 90 meters. The unusually elegant and at the same time grandiose cathedral became a kind of boundary that separated the architectural traditions of the Middle Ages from the principles of construction of the Renaissance.
The interior of the cathedral features an unusual clock created by Uccello in 1443 and still running to this day. The hand of this clock moves against the normal direction. On the walls of the cathedral there are depictions of the English condottiere John Hawkwood, the Italian mercenary Niccolo da Tolentino, and Dante with The Divine Comedy. The cathedral contains busts of organist Antonio Squarcialupi, philosopher Marsilio Ficino, and Brunelleschi. Of note is the bas-relief depicting Giotto laying out a mosaic. Brunelleschi and Giotto are buried in the cathedral grounds. Watch
The most beautiful and popular of Florence is the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo di Firenze) - the symbol of the capital of Tuscany.
A modern traveler, walking along the streets near Cathedral Square, will locate Santa Maria del Fiore from afar. The soaring tower of the cathedral rises 90 meters above the ground. A huge building, skillfully decorated with stucco, crowned with a bright red dome. This dome is like a guiding beacon; it attracts the eye and calls travelers to it. By the way, not a single camera, even the widest one, can capture the entire cathedral building in its lens!
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Italian: La Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore) makes a lasting impression. The extensive building does not overwhelm visitors with its monumentality. Interweaving and Gothic, as a result, gave the architectural style of Quattrocento, indescribable in its beauty. It fills the marble walls of the cathedral with blissful lightness and makes you think about the most intimate. Let's look at the history of the life of this building.
I was worried about the construction of a new cathedral at the end of the 13th century Catholic Church. In those days, Florence developed rapidly, turning into a large city. The number of parishioners of the local church of Santa Reparata exceeded its maximum capacity. The city authorities were also interested in ensuring that Florence could compete with other major cities Tuscany - Pisa and. Thus, the outdated Santa Reparata Cathedral sank into oblivion to make way for its successor.
Construction of the Duomo (cathedral) started in the 13th century, and the last work on finishing the facade was completed by the end of the 19th century.
It took as many as 6 centuries to build the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, famous for its unsurpassed dome and the mesmerizing play of colors on the exterior. As a result, residents received a temple unique in its dimensions, with a capacity of 30 thousand parishioners. In fact, it is an entire square covered with the dome of the cathedral.
Construction works
He was chosen as the compiler of the cathedral's architectural design. Arnolfo di Cambio. Based on the ideas of the early Italian Renaissance and classical Gothic elements, the architect conceived a building that was grandiose in scale. The developer saw the Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore as a three-nave temple in the form of a cross. Moreover, the dimensions of the new cathedral exceeded the parameters of its predecessor to a large extent. The entire area previously occupied by Santa Reparata fits into the middle nave of Santa Maria del Fiore.
The symbolic first stone of the cathedral was laid in September 1296 by the envoy of Pope Boniface VIII. Through the efforts of Arnolfo di Cambio, most of the work on the construction of the walls of the Duomo was completed. However, after the death of the architect, construction was suspended for 30 years. The next curator of the construction of the temple was the famous Italian painter and architect (Italian: Giotto di Bondone). The work of this artist subsequently inspired such artistic geniuses as, and. Giotto at that time worked as the chief architect of Florence. As part of his official duties, he began to work closely on the bell tower of the Duomo, called Campanile (Italian: Campanile). Giotto developed the construction plan for the bell tower and also created detailed sketches for exterior finishing first tier of the building.
The death of the architect in 1337 temporarily deprived the construction of its main creative force. And the plague epidemic that came 11 years later completely interrupted the work.
The workers resumed their duties only in 1349 under the leadership of the architect Francesco Talenti. After 10 years it will be replaced Giovanni di Lappo Ghini. These curators are responsible for the completion of the construction of the bell tower and the final formation of the architectural image of the cathedral walls. At the beginning of the 15th century, Santa Maria del Fiore was prepared for the creation of a dome. This is where the biggest problem arose. The vast area of the dome required the impossible from the builders at that time. Consequently, the problem of structural stability had to be solved by engineering.
There is an opinion that the Florentine authorities announced a competition to find a solution to the problem. On the one hand, it was necessary to come up with perfect option design of the dome, and on the other hand, to solve the problem of its construction at an altitude of several tens of meters. Be that as it may, the answers to the questions that interested builders were born in the architect’s head (Filippo Brunelleschi)
The smartest Italian man accurately calculated the parameters of the octagonal tower and the elongated spire. He also invented and implemented a number of mechanisms that made it possible to raise entire sections of the dome to great heights. In order to stabilize the structure, Brunelleschi ordered the installation 24 vertical stiffeners and 6 horizontal rings. This frame still holds together the dome of the Duomo, the total weight of which is about 37 thousand tons.
Work on the dome took place from 1410 to 1461. As a final architectural touch, Filippo Brunelleschi provided a lantern tower (lanterna) to crown the dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. It helps to evenly distribute the weight of the dome onto the “drum” of the building, and at the same time has an aesthetic and functional load. The completed building was consecrated by Pope Eugene IV himself, which gave it additional weight in the circles of the Catholic Church.
In the 16th century, a real scandal arose around the cathedral. A significant part of the work related to the exterior decoration of the Duomo was put up for competition. However, various nobles and officials tried to warm their hands on the competition participants. As a result, construction activities were delayed until the mid-19th century.
Ultimately, the design of the cathedral from 1876 to 1887 was carried out by the Italian architect Emilio de Fabris. The patterns he invented still decorate the facades of Santa Maria del Fiore. A special find of de Fabris is polychrome facing marble. This material makes the cathedral “play” with colors: white, smoothly flowing into gray, green and pink tones. This palette is designed to imitate the tricolor Italian flag.
The pointed arches of the facade are decorated with frescoes dedicated to the life of the Mother of God. Above the central entrance to the cathedral is the infant Christ, seated on a throne with the Mother of God. This bas-relief is surrounded by statues of the twelve preachers. Just above the portal with statues, the facade is decorated with a huge openwork window. The space around the window contains stucco medallions depicting famous residents Florence. Of great interest are the three bronze doors guarding the entrance to the cathedral.
Interior of the cathedral
Travelers are incredibly impressed by the richness of the exterior decoration of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, as well as its size. Once inside, the visitor will be confused. The lace pattern of the exterior decor gives way to the laconic interior decoration of the Catholic church. During the reign, a Dominican priest preached in the Duomo Girolamo Savonarola. He was famous for the severity of his views, and did not fail to ensure that the Duomo became a model of morality and virtue.
The cathedral's vaults are decorated with 15th-century frescoes depicting Florentines who made great contributions to the life of the city, country and church. These include compositions dedicated to , Giovanni Acuto, Nicolo da Tollentino. In addition, busts of the work have been preserved Arnolfo di Cambio, Giotto di Bondone, Brunelleschi, Emilio de Fabrisa.
The most important relic of Santa Maria del Fiore is urn with the relics of St. Zenobius of Florence, discovered in the ruins of the Temple of Santa Reparata in the 14th century. An unusual decoration of the cathedral is the clock created by Paolo Uccello in 1443. The highlight of the chronometer is that its hands rotate in the opposite direction.
It is simply impossible to ignore the amazing stained glass windows of the Duomo. 44 glass paintings adorn the arches of the naves and transepts. Each of them is dedicated to the acts of saints and martyrs of the Old and New Testaments. Round stained glass windows placed in the dome drum illustrate scenes from the life of Christ and the Mother of God.
Having enjoyed the energy emanating from the frescoes, stained glass windows and sculptures located within the walls of the cathedral, it is enough to look up to experience a new surge of admiration. The vast dome of the Duomo was masterfully painted in the second half of the 16th century by artists (Giorgio Vasari) and Federico Zuccari.
The painting has a multi-tiered structure and is dedicated to the Last Judgment. The lowest ring is reserved for mortal sins and the inhabitants of Hell, led by the Antichrist. Subsequent rings, going up to the lanterna, depict saints, elders of the apocalypse, heavenly angels, the Mother of God and good deeds. The image of Satan is the antagonist of the bright figure of Christ.
Museo Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore
Most of the objects that formerly decorated the interior of the cathedral were gradually moved to the Duomo Museum (Museo dell’Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore), located on Cathedral Square. The room, which served as a studio for the architect Brunelleschi, opened in 1891 as a museum at the cathedral. Museum visitors will be able to admire the design drawings of the dome, as well as models created by Brunelleschi himself. The magnificent choirs that served as the cathedral's choirboys in the 15th century also find a home in the museum.
The extensive collection of sculpture on display at the Duomo Museum deserves special mention. It includes:
- An excellent selection of Florentine sculptures dating from the 16th century.
- The statue of “Penitent Mary Magdalene” (15th century) previously adorned the Baptistery of the cathedral.
- The "Prophet Habakkuk" (15th century) work was moved to the museum from the bell tower;
- The statue dedicated to Pope Boniface VIII by Arnolfo di Cambio was removed from the façade of the cathedral.
- as well as the unfinished work of the great, - “”.
Baptistery of San Giovanni
The complex of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore also includes (Battistero di San Giovanni), in other words a place for baptism. It is designed as a separate building, located near the Duomo on Cathedral Square. The Baptistery bears the name John the Baptist (Italian: San Giovanni Battista), and is the most ancient building on the square. The date of its construction is lost in the 5th century AD. The squat hexagonal building is made in the Romanesque style, and it received its modern appearance in the 12th century. Inside the baptistery you can admire the golden dome, painted with the faces of Christ, saints, and scenes from the Bible.
Of particular interest are the bas-reliefs that decorated the gates of the baptistery in the 13th-15th centuries. They depict John the Baptist and the Cardinal Virtues. The newest gate, the eastern one, was designed by Lorenzo Ghiberti in the mid-15th century in a special way. The gilded door leaf was divided into 10 equal tablets. In each of them, the sculptor carefully reproduced biblical stories. The second name of this masterpiece is The Gates of Heaven.
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in numbers
If you look at the Duomo from a bird's eye view, then it will be clear that its shape is a Latin cross, with a vertical of 153 meters and a transept (crossbar width) of 90 meters. The height of the internal arches reaches 23 meters. And the most high point of the cathedral - a bronze ball, at the tip of the dome - 90 meters. Capacity – 30 thousand people. A total of a dozen architects worked on the construction of the building, and the duration of the work reached 6 centuries.
- its diameter is 42 (!) meters;
- weight – 37 thousand tons;
- the number of bricks is about 4 million pieces.
Taking into account all this data, we can safely say that the Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore is one of the most spacious and impressive temples Europe!
Practical information
How to get there
The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is located in the Italian city of Florence at the address: (Piazza del Duomo), building no. 17.
Find a hotel near the DuomoGetting to the cathedral is not difficult, since it is located in the city center and is the most famous landmark of Florence. Any bus going to Cathedral Square will do.
Cathedral opening hours
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday – open from 10:00 to 17:00;
- Saturday – from 10:00 to 16:45;
- Sunday – from 13:30 to 16:45.
You can admire the dome of the cathedral:
- all days except Saturday – from 8:30 to 19:00;
- Saturday – from 8:30 to 16:40.
Museum opening hours
- all days except Sunday – from 9:00 to 19:00;
- Sunday - from 9:00 to 13:45.
Ticket prices
Since 2018, you can enjoy the beauty of the interior of Santa Maria del Fiore by purchasing a single ticket in advance for 18 euros, which is also valid for climbing the dome (pre-booking is required), visiting the Duomo Museum and the Baptistery.
The current ticket price and opening hours can always be checked on the official website www.museumflorence.com, which is available in Italian and English.
For children aged 3 to 11 years, the ticket costs 3 euros. Tickets are valid for 72 hours and can be visited once at each attraction.
You can also get into the cathedral for free after standing in a queue for about 2 hours.
Alternative options:
You can get to the dome without a queue as part of a group excursion to English language, duration 1 hour, cost 40 euros per person, start time 10:00 or 14:00. This option is also suitable for those who did not have time to reserve a time to visit the dome in advance.
Take your time and set aside a whole day for a walk around the Cathedral Square and a tour of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. External beauty and colossal historical value Duomo create an indescribable atmosphere of belonging to something eternal.
Those who want to fall in love with the beauty of Florence with the Italy for me team are invited to our.
↘️🇮🇹 USEFUL ARTICLES AND SITES 🇮🇹↙️ SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS
