The Piazza del Duomo can easily be considered the very heart of the city of Florence Italy. The dome of the Cathedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore can be seen over the roof tops in every direction. Commonly known as Il Duomo di Firenze, it is one of the main attractions of this beautiful city.
Construction on the church was begun in 1296 in the Gothic style. The facade is covered in marble panels of shades of green and pink surrounded by white. The front of the church is quite stunning to see. The church wasn't completed until 1436 when that magnificent dome was placed on top.
The inside of the church is quite simple and might even be called a bit plain compared to the outside. However, it is still a very impressive place to admire.
The cathedral complex is composed of a total of three buildings, the cathedral, the Baptistery, and the Campanele (bell tower). The three combined have all been designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Those bronze doors on the Baptistery were designed and constructed by Lorenzo Ghiberti who also bid on the job of designing the dome however that job was given to Filippo Brunelleschi who engineered a spectacular dome that was one of the most impressive of the Renaissance. The Baptistery is one of the oldest buildings in Florence constructed between 1059 and 1128.
The dome inside the Baptistery is something amazing to see. The ceiling is covered in mosaics depicting the Last Judgement, stories from Genesis, stories of Joseph and others. Looking up at it is breathtaking.
Visiting the duomo is a must on any trip to this city rich in art, history and amazing beauty.
7 comments:
The architecture in Europe is too fabulous Sharon, I remember being slightly awestruck on trips, especially coming from fairly new Australia! Beautiful captures here.
My favorite city in Italy.
This is an absolute marvel and your "travel" photographs are superb - they give the viewer a great sense of the reality you're seeing through your lens.
That brought back some great memories of our time there in 1985. The only problem was that it was in April, very cold and windy. We cut our visit short and took the train to San Remo, which was warm and sunny.
A place I'd love to see for myself someday. Beautiful shots!
Gorgeous pictures Sharon. I will be in Florence this summer and visiting the Duomo is on our itinerary!
Bravo, Sharon! I adore Florence and return whenever I can juggle an itinerary to let me do it. Love your pix (and the memories they stirred).
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