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Florence Cathedral

The Marvelous Great Dome

Florence Cathedral, with a dome that spans 45 meters, is a marvel of architectural history. The 16th-century vault was painted by Vasari and Zuccari, and the church has an octagonal baptistery in front and an 85-meter-high Giotto's Bell Tower on the south side.

Florence Cathedral, also known as the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore (Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flower), is located in the heart of the city and is the Mother Church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Florence.

With a massive dome that spans 45 meters, the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flower is second in size only to St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, but predates the latter by more than 100 years. Its designer Filippo Brunelleschi, inspired by the structure of the Pantheon in Rome, built the dome without temporary supports and completed this architectural marvel in 1434. It’s the eternal Stunning City Landmark of Florence from every perspective.

Manywhere Trivia:
Michelangelo’s David was originally created for the Florence Cathedral, but because the finished product was so heavy and so successful, it was put on display in front of the City Hall instead and later became the most valuable treasure of The Gallery of the Academy of Florence.

Zenith Mosaics in Baptistery of Saint John

The octagonal Battistero di San Giovanni (Baptistery of Saint John), at the front of the church, dates from the 13th century, predating the church itself. The baptistery has three bronze gates, the east gate, designed by Lorenzo Ghiberti, depicts several religious scenes and was once described by Michelangelo as the “Gates of Paradise (Porte del Paradiso)”.

The Giotto's Bell Tower (Giotto's Campanile) on the south side of the church is 85 meters high and was designed and built by the Italian architect and painter Giotto. The four-story bell tower has a marble facade decorated with different reliefs.

Dome Painting: The Last Judgment

Entering the nave of the Florence Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flower, you will notice that the interior of the church does not use much ornamentation in order to maintain a sense of simplicity and lightness. In contrast to the walls, the Marble Floor Tiles was built with the financial support of the Medici family in the 16th century. The Dome Painting: The Last Judgment, the most admired part of the church, was completed in 1579 by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari. The east side of the church has Three Naves under the octagonal dome, with five chapels in each nave.