One of the most ancient and recognizable buildings in Florence is the Gothic Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. This pearl of world architecture for seven centuries amazes with its grace and grandeur and is a true adornment of the city.
A bit of history
The cathedral was erected on the site of the church of Santa Reparata, which, in turn, was built on the ruins of an ancient Roman temple. The beginning of construction dates back to 1296, when the works were conducted around the still functioning church, led by Arnolfo di Cambio. In 1375 the old church was demolished, and the main work on the construction of Santa Maria del Fiore was completed, although not completely completed (in particular, the facade of the building was created only in the 19th century).
The construction of the dome took almost fifteen years (1420-1434), the work was carried out on new technologies developed by Philippe Brunelleschi personally, which did not provide for the presence of forests. As a result, a unique octagonal dome was created, hovering over the walls of the cathedral and crowned with an original lantern.
Architecture and interior of the cathedral
No less impressive is the exterior facade of the building, made of multicolored marble slabs, with a variety of sculptural compositions. It is complemented by a rectangular bell tower, decorated with numerous niches, filled with statues and hexahedral medallions, - they depict various biblical stories.
The luxurious interior of the cathedral is made in the best traditions of the so-called Italian Gothic - naves with arched vaults, numerous arches, galleries, high walls decorated with pilasters, etc. The cathedral's floor is made of marble, several famous sculptors worked on it in the 16th century
Santa Maria del Fiore - one of the five most grandiose cathedrals of the world, its length exceeds one hundred and fifty meters, and the width is almost one hundred meters, at the same time there can be up to thirty thousand people. In addition, the cathedral has a museum, a hall where the remains of an old church have been preserved, as well as an elegant viewing platform.
Opening hours and cost of visiting
From Monday to Wednesday, the cathedral runs from 10:00 to 17:00, on Thursday to 15:30, on Saturday to 16:45, and on Sunday from 13:30 to 16:45 .Free admission.The observation deck is open daily from 8:30 to 19:00, on Saturday to 16:40 .The museum works on the same schedule .A single ticket for visiting the museum, the baptistery, the lookout areas on the bell tower and on the dome - 10 EUR (September 2014 g .) .The ticket is valid 6 days after the purchase and 24 hours after the first use .Do not be embarrassed by the queue at the main entrance, for a visit to the cathedral itself, do not charge fees, boldly settle into the tail of a long string of those wishing to get inside .
| The Gate of Santa Maria del Fiore |
| View of Florence from the bell tower |
| A fascinating view of Santa Maria del Fiore in the evening |
| Beautiful view of Santo Maria del Fiore at sunset |
| The result of many years of work |
| Facade of the cathedral |
| Stained glass in Santa Maria del Fiore |
| Campagnola Giotto |
Reviews of Santa Maria del Fiore (5)
Masterpiece! December 02, 2014
Night Cathedral September 11, 2014
the most vivid impressions from Florence December 19, 2013
The first thing that strikes is the greatness of the building, its dimensions and of course the beautiful façade! You can not even believe that this cathedral was built about 7 centuries ago!
The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore can be visited by anyone with absolutely free access! Usually I run one by one (which on Sundays is quite impressive).
The interior of this cathedral ... Read the whole review
The heart of Florence November 27, 2013
The main attraction of Florence October 18, 2013
The entrance to the Cathedral is free, paid entrance only to the observation deck. The cathedral itself closes at about 5 pm, but there are always a lot of people on the square in front of it. Its many ... Read the whole review