Duomo of Florence

Florence has so much to offer and we had perfect weather in which to enjoy it. The Duomo, the domed cathedral, it spectacular.
If you walk through the city's winding streets, you’ll see Giotto’s Campanile loom beside the cupola and the radiant, richly decorated marble-clad exterior of the cathedral.

Brunelleschi worked on the project from 1418 to 1434, solving the enormous difficulty of how to place such a large dome (at 41.5 m/136 ft in diameter, it was of a size not seen since Rome’s Pantheon) on top of the already-constructed cathedral by laying the bricks in so intricate a manner that the dome supported itself as it grew. By engineering the crowning of the dome (although it was not actually placed until after his death), now over 100 m (328 ft) above ground level, with Verrocchio’s gilded ball and cross, Brunelleschi again proved wrong those critics who couldn’t believe the structure would be strong enough to support the weight.
Piazza del Duomo, located in the heart of the historical center of the city, is not only the most famous address in Florence but is the place to visit here. The square is also quite easy to get to: Brunelleschi’s majestic, red ochre Cupola Duomo the centerpiece of the square, dominates Florence’s skyline from virtually all vantage points.
463 stairs later we are at the very top of the dome, looking out over Firenze.
surrounded by mountains, it is a spectacular view.
you actually climb between the outer dome and the inner dome, constructed to give the largest dome of its time the required strength to be suspended on high walls.


It's a city with no shortage of beautiful churches and monasteries.
The top of the Duomo gives an unparalleled view of Florence.

a fortress on a far away hill.
this blue dome is very distinctive.
just to prove I was there. Looking relaxed! The stairs were no challenge as your mind was on all the things around you.

one of the ribs of the outer dome.
the campanile - itself a magnificent structure that can be climbed.



down again!
Muna loved the floor of the Duomo - such beauty and craftsmanship in an age that re-found religious worship and had the funds to create what cold never again be built.

the paintings are works of art as well. No need to go to museums. Every church is a museum of art.

Impossible to describe in words, even cameras cannot do it justice. The painted dome has to be seen to be believed.
these scenes from the climb to the top of the dome - partly done inside the inner dome.




outside the amount of detail in the engravings and statues is staggering.
the doors are quite large to!!!!




too many photos cannot be enough.




Campanile di Giotto (Piazza del Duomo) A stunning example of the Gothic bell-tower style, the 85-m-high (279-ft) quadratic campanile, standing detached next to the Duomo (as is the Italian tradition), was constructed between 1334 and 1359 to the same three-tiered marble design as the Duomo. Although it is named after the artist Giotto, only the first storey of the tower was built under his direction. Andrea Pisano and then Francesco Talenti took over the reigns after his death.
















What more can one say - you have to visit. Well beyond anything in Rome.