Florence's main cathedral was a truly remarkable and original architectural masterpiece for its time and is still one of the largest cathedrals in the world today. The building holds an incredible 25,000 people.

The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Our Lady of the Flowers) is one of the most beautiful in the world and one of the most dominant in the city's skyline.

It towers over the surrounding buildings, which, combined with its monumental dome and interesting facade, makes it one of the most famous buildings in the world. The cathedral is often abbreviated as the Duomo di Fiernze. No wonder the building is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Architecture and history

From the end of the 4th century AD, the Romanesque church of St. Reparata stood on a site in the centre of Florence, but its capacity was no longer sufficient, so during the 13th century it was decided to build a new cathedral. It was begun in 1296 with the aim of building a monumental structure capable of accommodating all the inhabitants of Florence at that time.

Architecturally, the cathedral mixes Gothic and Renaissance styles, thanks to the several centuries of construction. The extraordinary façade at first glance in the traditional dark and white Tuscan style is sure to be the most striking, but on closer inspection the façade is much more ornate and is one of the most striking exteriors of historic cathedrals across the world.

The white marble comes from the famous Carrara mines, the dark green from nearby Prato and the pink from Maremma.

The work of the architect Arnolfo Cambi, who unfortunately did not manage to complete the building, was subsequently taken over by the famous architect and painter in one person, Giotto di Bondone, who, however, designed only the detached bell tower, which together with the cathedral forms the skyline of the city.

The basic structure of the cathedral, consisting of the nave, two side aisles and 4 square bay windows, was completed in 1413. However, on the eastern side of the cathedral, a huge hole was left ready for the construction of a monumental dome, for which none of the previous architects had submitted viable plans.

An interesting fact is that the entire structure was built around the original Basilica of St. Reparata, where mass was celebrated until 1375, when it was only demolished, leaving only its foundations.

General view of the cathedral

Fresco on the dome

Facade of the Florence Cathedral

The dome as an architectural miracle

The architectural competition to complete the dome was won by Filippo Brunelleschi, an unknown goldsmith with no architectural training at the time. This genius managed to build a massive octagonal dome (dome) without scaffolding, using the technique of laying bricks at an oblique angle (herringbone technique), which was truly unprecedented for that time.

The construction of the dome began in 1420 and was completed in 1432.

Today, the dome is reached by climbing 463 steps, but it is definitely worth a visit. The physical effort will be redeemed by the absolutely breathtaking view of the whole of Florence. Apart from the magnificent dome, however, there are many other things to admire about the building. Note, for example, the bull-shaped gargoyle on the left side (towards Via Ricasoli).

Florence

Admission and opening hours

We definitely recommend visiting the typically austere Gothic interior of the cathedral, which contrasts sharply with the interesting exterior facade. Inside you will find a single, but monumental fresco on the ceiling of the dome. It dates from 1572-1579 and was painted by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari.

The cathedral is open to tourists every day from 10:15-16:45, with access to the dome from 8:15-19:30 and the adjacent bell tower until 19:45.

Entrance to the cathedral only is free.

There are three types of tickets to choose from.

Brunelleschi Pass - dome, baptistery, bell tower, Museo dell'Opera dell Duomo: 30 eur (children under 14 for 12 eur)
Giotto Pass - baptistery, bell tower, Museo dell'Opera dell Duomo: 20 eur (children under 14 for 7 eur)
Ghiberti Pass - baptistery, Museo dell'Opera dell Duomo: 15 eur (children under 14 for 5 eur),

There are no discounts for seniors.

Tickets can also be purchased online at: operaduomofirenze.skiperformance.com.

When buying online, you choose the date and time, but the exact time must be observed only when entering the dome. Tickets are always valid for 3 days from the date of purchase and individual sights can be visited repeatedly.

Height and dimensions of the cathedral

For lovers of statistics, we also add some interesting data about the enormous dimensions of the Florence Dome.

The length of the entire basilica - 153 m
Width - 90 m
Total height with dome - 114 m

The dome itself stands on the 55-metre high nave of the cathedral and its span is 44 metres. The dome is the 3rd largest of its kind in the world, after St Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, the Cathedral of the Salvation of the People in Bucharest and the Basilica of Our Lady Queen of Peace in Yamoussoukro, the capital of Ivory Coast.

The cathedral itself is the 11th largest in the world in terms of internal area.

Its complete construction from the laying of the foundation stone to the completion of the dome took from 1296 to 1432.