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- Destinations
- Europe
- Italy
- Florence
- Piazza del Duomo (Cathedral Square)
Piazza del Duomo (Cathedral Square)
Santa Maria del Fiore, the Duomo or Cathedral of Florence, is
set in the heart of the city and perches above the metropolis like
an emperor before his subjects. Its most distinctive feature is the
enormous dome, designed by Filippo Brunelleschi and built between
1420 and 1436. Visitors can climb between the two shells of the
cupola for an unrivalled panorama of the city.
The original Gothic exterior was destroyed in 1587 so that it
could be replaced by the styling of the High Renaissance. However,
this vision died prematurely with its patron, the Grand Duke
Francesco de Medici, and the funding to build the neo-Gothic façade
that we see today was not found until the 19th Century. The
Campanile (bell tower) was built according to Giotto's designs in
1334, and is an elegant prop to Brunelleschi's stout Cathedral. The
tower is decorated with two garlands of bas-reliefs, strung around
its pink, white and green marble façade. Above, sculptures of the
Prophets and Sybils, carved by Donatello, look down upon the city
below.
The Campanile can also be climbed for the magnificent views over
the square and the adjacent cathedral. The neighbouring Baptistry,
with its famous doors designed by Lorenzo Ghiberti, is one of
Florence's oldest buildings and was originally a pagan temple. The
gilded brass doors, dubbed the 'Gates of Paradise', were
commissioned in 1401 to mark Florence's deliverance from the
plague. The original panels are in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo
(the Duomo Works Museum), which exists largely to safeguard the
sculptures removed from the doors and niches around the Piazza del
Duomo. The museum also contains the machines used in the
construction of the cathedral's dome, and has displays devoted to
the problematic construction of the cathedral's façade. A room
containing Ghiberti's baptistry doors provides an opportunity to
closely examine the
stiacciatorelief technique used.
Other noteworthy artefacts found in the museum include
Michelangelo's
Pieta, the carved figures of Donatello's
Prophetsas well as his
Magdalenesculpture. In the anteroom are Andrea Pisano's
panels from the first few levels of the bell tower.
Information & Facts
Address
Admission
Cathedral entry is Free, but there is a fee to visit the
baptistry (EUR3), the dome (EUR8), the cupola (EUR6) and museum
(EUR6)
Language
The official language of Italy is Italian. English is
understood in the larger cities but not in the more remote parts of
the country.
Money
The Euro (EUR) is the official currency, which is divided into
100 cents. Those arriving in Italy with foreign currency can obtain
Euros through any bank, ATM or bureaux de change. ATMs are
widespread. Travellers cheques can be exchanged with ease in the
large cities, not so in the smaller towns. Credit cards are
accepted in upmarket establishments and shops around the cities.
Banks are closed on weekends, but tend to have better rates than
casas de cambios.
Opening Times
Cathedral open Monday to Saturday, from 10am to 5pm
(Thursdays until 3.30pm; Saturdays until 4.45pm); and on Sundays
from 1.30pm to 4.45pm. Museum open Monday to Saturday from 9am to
7.30pm, and on Sundays from 9am to 1.40pm