Cathedral of Saint Mary in Florence. Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence. Museum Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore

Even Italians, spoiled by the architectural masterpieces of their homeland, roll their eyes in ecstasy at the mention of Florence and its cathedral - Santa Maria del Fiore. What can we say about those who are not spoiled by Renaissance buildings at every step of the house. Well, let's go for a walk along the Duomo di Firenze.

The Duomo collapses in a lush foam of white-pink-greenish stone lace - so that at first it really takes your breath away. Wow! And only when you catch your breath, you notice the components of the ensemble: the dome of Filippo Brunelleschi (15th century!), The magnificent facade of Emilio de Fabry (late 19th century), Giotto's bell tower, on the right, and the ancient baptistery with the famous golden door.

A bit of history

Like the vast majority of cathedrals in Europe, the modern Duomo stands on the site of an older church. At least in the 5th century, the Cathedral of Santa Reparata with a baptistery was already located here. Today's baptistery was rebuilt in the 11th century, and in the 13th century it came to the church, which, against the backdrop of the new baptistery, looked like an orphan. Of course, they built on a grand scale: so that the neighbors - Siena and Pisa - would die of envy. Well ... We managed quite well, I think!

Outside

Probably, having seen once, the Duomo di Firenze cannot be confused with anything. The signature white-pink-green combination of marble from Carrara, Maremma and Prato turned out to be both unusual and chic, right?

As is customary for every self-respecting medieval cathedral, the facade of the Duomo is full of symbolism. For example, a pediment rosette is not just a stained glass window for beauty. She personifies the Virgin Mary - who is also depicted on the throne - plus the flower flaunts on the coat of arms of Florence. True, lily, but still.

The facade, of course, is not Gothic at all, but neo-Gothic (the end of the 19th century, when all of Europe suddenly remembered its Middle Ages with inspiration and set off strenuously to restore what could still be saved - my favorite Notre Dame Cathedral, by the way, also perked up on this particular period).

What else is interesting outside? First, the mosaics above each of the portals (photo from left to right):

Secondly, the figures of the Florentine bishops are in the niches of the buttresses on both sides of the portals. This photo shows two figures.

Thirdly, the Virgin Mary with the baby in her arms, surrounded by 12 apostles.

Fourthly, famous Florentine artists - their busts are almost at the very top, above the main rosette. It is immediately evident that the cultural capital!

And, of course, the whole image of God the Father (in a triangular tympanum) is crowned.

Inside

If you talk with the Italians themselves, then almost everyone will repeat with one voice that the Florentine Duomo is much more beautiful than the Milanese. Milanese outside - yes, but zilch inside. But Florentine (here you have to click your tongue).

Well maybe. It is spacious inside, but I can’t say that it’s just expensive and bohat. Although ... How do you like such a chic floor?

Interestingly, the "modern" floor was laid in the 16th century, and later it turned out that it used elements of the mosaic that covered the facade of the ancient church of Santa Reparata.

By the way, in 1972, during the excavations of Santa Reparata, the burial place of the creator of the dome of the new Duomo, the brilliant Filippo Brunelleschi, was discovered.

By the way, Santa Maria Del Fiore is the third largest cathedral in Italy: 160 m by 91 m. It accommodated the entire population of medieval Florence. Neither more nor less - 90,000 people. Swipe! Can you name the other two monsters?

How to navigate the temple

In general, now there will be a brief tour of the application. Most Christian churches are shaped like a cross, and the Duomo di Firenze is no exception. As a rule, the entrance to the temple is through one of the main portals. Mostly there are either one or three.

Inside, a long room to the opposite wall is the nave. The main space of the temple, where believers gather during divine services - mainly in front of the altar or at the choirs.

The nave rests against the far wall, which most often has a rounded shape. This is the apse. Sometimes there are chapels in the apse.

Chapels often go on both sides of the nave.

Finally, the two arms of the cross that cross the naves are the transepts. All.

Naves

If you walk around the cathedral from the inside, you can see all sorts of different busts and artistic images of famous Florentines. They have remained since the Duomo was planned to be turned into a pantheon. But they changed their mind.

Who can be recognized: in particular, the architects of the cathedral. On the right in the medallion is Arnolfo di Cambio, who started the construction of the Duomo in 1289.

In the right nave, in medallions, there are two more busts of the masters who contributed to the creation of the cathedral: Giotto (bell tower) and Filippo Brunelleschi (dome - more on that below).

And here are two interesting frescoes. They depict not just horsemen, but monuments erected in honor of these horsemen. Pay attention to the step of the horses: in real life, they should immediately fall off their hooves! As a result, on the left - Nicola of Florence by Castagno, on the right - Giovanni Acuto by Uccello. Every square centimeter of the wall is a masterpiece!

Another famous Florentine in a red robe with the Divine Comedy in his hands. Dante called his work simply "La Commedia", and "Divine" was added later by the author of the "Decameron" Boccaccio.

Behind Dante is Florence in 1465.

Altar

That's just the altar, and the choir. Bas-reliefs are visible on the balustrade of the choirs, there are 88 of them. What is interesting about them is that the octagonal bas-reliefs repeat the shape of the ancient baptistery, thus uniting it with the newer cathedral into a single whole.

Dome

The dome is perfectly visible from the altar. The dome was designed by Brunelleschi, and, like many other innovative solutions for its time, the dome was criticized by everyone who was not lazy. Many were not too lazy, so the unfortunate Brunelleschi was tortured with ridicule on the topic that the dome, of course, would collapse even before construction was completed. Brunelleschi even previously had to build a similar "trial" dome over the church, and only after that he was allowed to create a similar one in the Duomo.

For its time, the dome is absolutely advanced - and to this day it is the largest domed ceiling in the world. The main inner diagonal of the dome is 45 m, the outer - 54. Brunelleschi built it without scaffolding - unheard of! Along the way, he came up with a lot of machines and mechanisms for lifting building materials. The dome turned out to be double, with a frame of 8 main ribs and 16 auxiliary, girded with rings that supported the empty dome, and the lantern loaded it from above. Nothing collapsed! And, on the contrary, Michelangelo, who criticized Brunelleschi, later quoted his dome in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

So, from the inside, the dome was supposed to be decorated with a mosaic, also reminiscent of the decoration of the baptistery. But there was not enough money for the mosaic. Yes, even in Florence the church sometimes experienced not the best of times. As a result, the dome is simply painted.

The dome was painted by Vasari and Zuccari at the end of the 16th century. The plot is traditional, the Last Judgment. Here he is especially scary.

It is very interesting to take a closer look at the dome if possible: you can see that the perspective of the drawing is curved so that it looks more natural from below.

There are 8 stained-glass windows in the drum of the dome, not quite a standard solution. The light, refracted through the colored glass, fills the cathedral with an unusual glow. The authors are Renaissance masters: Donatello, Ghiberti, Paolo Uccello and Andrea del Castagno.

Apse

Access to the apse of tourists is limited. The apse (remember, right?) is the part behind the altar. But in compensation, I will tell an interesting story related to this part of the cathedral.

Firstly, the apses in Duomo 3, each with 5 chapels, which on the plan of the cathedral look like an opening flower. Santa Maria del Fiore - the full name of the Duomo - translates as "Our Lady of the Flowers".

Secondly, in the new sacristy, the room to the left of the left apse, in 1478, during the assassination of the Pazzi conspiracy, the Florentine ruler Lorenzo the Magnificent found refuge. As a result, Lorenzo's brother, Giuliano Medici, died, and the attempt went down in history as the only successful attempt on the Medici - who, by the way, were assassinated with enviable regularity: at least once in the life of each of the members of the dynasty.

And here is another interesting point: in the northern apse is the Toscanelli gnomon.

Stained glass over the entrance

I love gothic rosettes in temples. The rosettes of the Florentine Duomo are not my favorites, but they are not gothic either.

The main rosette is dedicated to the ascension of Mary (Nicolo di Piero).

There are 44 stained-glass windows in the temple, all date back to the 14th-15th centuries. It is the most monumental stained glass program in all of Italy.

Another interesting artifact is right there above the central portal: a clock with arrows that rotate in the opposite direction. The clock is intended for liturgical use and is practically the only working mechanism showing the so-called Italian time.

Cathedral outside

In addition to the central portal, the Florentine Duomo has four more side ones, each of which is decorated in its own unique style: the Cornacchini portal with a lion and a lioness,

an almond portal adorned with (well!) almond branches and an image of Mary being carried away by angels;

the portal of the canons, through which the canons entered the temple - simply because it was closer than others to the houses of the canons; portal of the bell tower closest to Giotto's bell tower.

Bell tower

Well, about the bell tower itself. Yes, you can go up. 414 steps.
Height 82 m, the beginning of construction - 1334. Giotto's project - hence the name of the bell tower - but it was completed after the death of Giotto Pisano and Talenti.

Graceful, right?

And here is an interesting element: the marble panels of the two lower levels of the bell tower. The reliefs of the panels reflect the view of contemporaries about the surrounding world: here is the history of the creation of a man, a woman; and the first work of man; and 4 biblical founders of various human activities: animal husbandry, music, metallurgy, winemaking. The top row depicts the 7 known planets of the solar system by the 14th century, starting with Saturn on the left. The reliefs are dedicated to life, work and art.

Charles the Fifth of Habsburg, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the 16th century, said about the bell tower: “Such a jewel should be kept under a cap and taken out only on major holidays.”

Baptistery

No, that's not all, don't leave the cathedral square without looking into the baptistery. Fifth century, comrades! Fifth! This is when we in Rus' ran in animal skins and built from wood. Newer exterior cladding, 11th–12th century. New building practically. Yes…

Pay attention to the golden gates of the baptistery (east). Second half of the 15th century, 10 gilded panels with scenes from the New Testament by Lorenzo Ghiberti. Copies.

Later, when he saw the gates of Ghiberti, Michelangelo was so impressed with the creation of his predecessor that he called them the gates of Paradise. Interestingly, at the beginning of the 19th century, a copy of the gates of Paradise was installed at the northern entrance to the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg.

Two columns of black porphyry on either side of the gates of Paradise are a gift from the city of Pisa for the help provided by Florence in the war with Lucca in 1117. Thus, the columns have been standing here for 9 centuries! That's what "stability" means.

The most interesting thing is how organically the baptistery fits into the overall ensemble. There is a feeling of some kind of unity, the correctness of finding it here, “in place”. The main question that comes to mind at the sight of such a huge baptistery is why? Why so huge?

It's simple: the rite of baptism in those early times was held only twice a year, on strictly fixed days. Accordingly, the baptistery had to be spacious enough to accommodate everyone who wanted to accept the new faith.

The Baptistery inside seems to be filled with the power of centuries. It is here that the age of this building, its energy is felt. The pattern of the floor evokes thoughts of the Islamic world,

and between the Portal of Paradise and the center of the baptistery, the zodiacal signs run in a bizarre pattern.

The majestic dome bears the imprint of Byzantine influence with the golden sheen of mosaics.

Put together, these elements are an amazing, amazing fusion of the greatest cultures of the European Middle Ages.

Well, perhaps, everything is briefly about the Duomo. . There is even more of all kinds of interesting, unexpected, detailed about the Duomo, the bell tower, the dome, the baptistery.

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Florence is famous not only for its rich history - the Duomo, which is an architectural monument and cultural heritage of the city, is a confirmation of this. The historic building is a cathedral in Florence, which has another name - Santa Maria del Fiore. This is one of the largest temples in the world, with a total area of ​​8.3 thousand square meters. m.

The architectural structure is located in the city center on the cathedral square.

Cathedral architecture

The structure is made in the form of a Latin cross and has three naves: a semicircular apse and two extreme transepts.
The red dome of the temple is the work of the outstanding architect Filippo Brunelleschi and is a kind of symbol of the Italian city.

From the outside, the cladding of the building consists of polychrome marble panels, which have a different tint palette.
The design of the cathedral was designed in such a way that at the time of construction, the entire population of Florence, which numbered 90 thousand inhabitants, could fit in the Duomo.

History of creation

At the end of the 13th century, the Cathedral of Santa Reparata, which had a nine-century history, gradually began to fall into disrepair and turn into ruins. Then the representatives of the Catholic Church thought about building a new church on the site of the former one.

At that time, Florence was considered a rapidly developing city. Local authorities were interested in building a new cathedral, which could surpass in its spaciousness and grandeur the temples of such large cities as Tuscany, Pisa and Siena.

At the time of completion of the construction, the Duomo became the largest cathedral not only in Italy, but throughout Europe.

Construction of the Duomo

It took six centuries to build Santa Maria del Fiore. Its construction took place under the guidance of many architects, including Arnolfo di Cambio and Giotto di Bondone. The first of them managed to complete most of the work on the construction of the cathedral. After Arnolf's death, construction stopped for three decades. Then Giotto di Bondone, who at that time was the most popular Florentine architect, took over the construction. It was he who took up the design of the Campanile bell tower.

After the death of di Bondone, construction work was again stopped for a long period. Further planning of the project after 12 years was taken up by Francesco Talenti. After another decade, he was replaced by Giovanni di Lappo Ghini. The last two architects completed the construction of the bell tower and the formation of the architectural image of the temple.

In the 15th century, the issue of erecting a dome began to be resolved, which was fraught with some difficulties. Since its design had to have a huge area, there was a problem about stability.

It was possible to solve the difficult situation with the help of the brilliant sculptor and architect of his time - Filippo Brunelleschi. According to his project, a frame was erected, which still securely holds the entire structure of the dome, the total weight of which is about forty tons. It took workers about half a century to build the dome.

At the top of the structure is a lantern tower, which allows you to evenly distribute the weight of the dome.

The final stage related to the design of the temple was taken up by Emilio de Fabrice. He originally decorated the facade of the building, using polychrome facing marble, which has the ability to shimmer in different colors.

Exterior view of the cathedral

The facade of Santa Maria del Fiore is decorated with frescoes reflecting the life of Our Lady. Above the central bronze gate is a bas-relief sculpture of Christ in infancy and statues of twelve preachers.

The bell tower deserves special attention, which is decorated with various sculptures and bas-reliefs of prophets and patriarchs. Rising to the upper level of the tower, you can see not only a magnificent panoramic view of the city, but also examine in detail the red dome that adorns the cathedral. To climb to the very top of the structure, you will have to overcome over four hundred steps.

Interior of the Duomo

The interior of the cathedral is decorated with works by the best sculptors and artists of the 15th-16th centuries.

The interior of the dome includes frescoes depicting scenes of the "Judgment Day". The dome was painted in the 16th century by the outstanding artists of their time: Federico Zuccari and Giorgio Vasari.

The Duomo houses Uccello's clock, which remains in working order to this day. They are unique in that the arrows move in the opposite direction.

The main relic of the cathedral is the urn with the relics of Zenobius of Florence, found on the site of the former church of Santa Reparta.
The arches of the naves are decorated with over forty glass paintings, each of which is dedicated to the holy martyrs.

Duomo Museum: Florence

Next to the majestic cathedral is the Duomo Museum, which houses most of the interior that previously adorned the walls of Santa Maria del Fiore. Previously, Brunelleschi worked within the walls of this building, and only by the end of the 19th century the architect's workshop began to function as a museum.

Now its walls contain drawings of the dome, as well as some layouts made by a brilliant architect. Here is a unique collection of sculptures that previously decorated the interior of the cathedral. Statues such as Avaakum the Prophet, Mary Magdalene and Michelangelo's Pieta deserve special attention.

Baptistery of the Duomo: San Giovanni

Part of Santa Maria del Fiore is the Baptistery of San Giovanni, where baptisms take place. It is a separate building located next to the temple.

The baptistery was named after John the Baptist. It is the oldest building located on the Cathedral Square. The building dates back to the 5th century AD. In the XII century, San Giovanni was restored and got the look that it has today.

The gilded gates of the baptistery are decorated with bas-reliefs depicting John the Baptist and biblical scenes.

The dome of the building inside is painted with paintings of saints and biblical scenes.

How to get there

The Duomo Cathedral in Florence is located at Piazza del Duomo, 17. You can get to it by any of the buses going to the main square of the city.

Opening hours and ticket prices

On weekdays, the cathedral operates from 10 am to 5 pm. On Saturday, the doors of the Duomo open to parishioners at 10.00 and close at 16.45. On Sunday, the temple is open to the public from 13.30 to 16.45.

You can get to the Duomo Museum from Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 7 pm. On Sunday it is open for visits until 2 pm.
Entrance to the cathedral is free. But for the ascent to the dome and a visit to the museum, a fee of approximately 6 euros is charged.
In addition, there is an opportunity to look at the excavations discovered under the ruins of Santa Reparta. A local sightseeing tour will cost 3 euros.

To get acquainted in detail with one of the most majestic buildings not only in Florence, but also in the world, you need to set aside a whole day.

Tourist Florence is famous, first of all, for its magnificent squares, bridges and numerous churches.

I'll start this post, perhaps, with the most famous and popular tourist attraction in Florence - the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore ...

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

The construction of a grandiose building of the most famous Florentine landmark - Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, also known as Duomo lasted from 1296 to 1436, under the guidance of the best architects of those times: Giotto di Bondone, Andrea Pisano and Arnolfo di Cambio.

At the time of construction, the Duomo was the largest cathedral in Europe: it could accommodate up to 30,000 people (the height of the building is 114 m, the length is 153 m, the width is 90 meters). Now it is the fourth largest in the world.

The huge red dome of the cathedral, created by the great architect and sculptor of the Renaissance - Filippo Brunelleschi, is now one of the hallmarks of Florence. It has an observation deck from where you can have a good look at the city. The entrance is paid - 8 euros, and it is better to come here in the morning on weekdays, while there are no crowds of tourists.

In the building of the cathedral there is a museum, in which, in addition to numerous unique exhibits, there are two priceless paintings - "Mary Magdalene" by Donatello and "Lamentation of Christ" by Michelangelo.

I also advise you to pay attention to the amazing “reverse” clocks that have been running without failures since the middle of the 15th century.

Belfry of Giotto

Next to the Duomo is Belfry of Giotto (Campanile di Giotto), also known as Campanile Giotto named after its author. Its construction was carried out in the years 1334-1359 by several architects: Giotto, Andrea Pisano and Francesco Talenti.

The height of Giotto's bell tower is 84.7 m. It has seven bells, the largest of which was distinguished in 1705 and has a diameter of 2 meters.
The bell tower is decorated with magnificent bas-reliefs by famous Renaissance sculptors, including works by Giotto and Donatello.

True, now there are not originals, but copies of these works of art. The originals were moved to the nearby Duomo Museum for preservation purposes.

Baptistery of San Giovanni

Next to the famous Duomo Cathedral and Giotto's bell tower is an ancient medieval building in which, until the nineteenth century, all the natives of Florence were baptized, including Dante and the Medici - Baptistery of San Giovanni.

The baptistery building was built between 1059 and 1129 and is one of the oldest in the city. The arch of its dome is decorated with wonderful Byzantine mosaics of the 13th-14th centuries, and the central mosaic depicts the Last Judgment.

By the way, here is also the tomb of Antipope John XXIII. For those not in the know, antipope in the Catholic Church refers to people who have illegally held the title of pope.

Basilica of Santa Maria Novella

Basilica of Santa Maria Novella- a beautiful ancient church located near the Florence station of the same name, which bears her name. This is the first attraction seen by the guests of the city who arrived here by train.

Its construction began in 1246 and lasted until the middle of the fourteenth century. It was officially consecrated in 1420.

The church is famous for its light openwork facade and numerous works of art of the XIII-XVI centuries stored in it (tombs, tombstones, busts, frescoes, as well as the famous Crucifix - Brunelleschi's masterpiece).

The doors of the Church of Santa Maria Novella are open to visitors daily, except Friday, from 9 to 14.

Basilica of San Lorenzo

One of the largest and oldest churches in Florence is Basilica of San Lorenzo. It was originally founded in 393, during the period from the 11th to the 17th centuries it was reconstructed, completed and rebuilt several times. Here you can see the magnificent tombs of the oligarchic Medici family, whose representatives more than once became the rulers of Florence and sponsored the most prominent artists and architects of the Italian Renaissance.

Basilica of Santa Croce

Popular with tourists Basilica of Santa Croce, also known as the Church of the Holy Cross - was built in the Gothic style between 1294 and 1385.

Today it is considered the largest Franciscan church in the world and is famous for its stained glass windows, frescoes by Giotto and numerous tombs of great Italians. By the way, there are about three hundred of them here and very famous personalities are buried here - Galileo Galilei, Dante Alighieri, Michelangelo Buonarroti, Gioacchino Rossini and many others.

Basilica of Santa Trinita

Basilica of Santa Trinita- the ancient church of the Holy Trinity in the center of Florence, located near the Santa Trinita bridge of the same name. It was built between 1258 and 1280. In the church chapel you can admire the wonderful frescoes by Domenico Ghirlandaio.

Church of Orsanmichele

Church unique in its form and meaning Orsanmichele (Chiesa di Orsanmichele) was built between 1337 and 1350 on the site of a grain market.

Until the 16th century, it performed the dual function of a temple and a city granary located on the upper floors.
Today, in the church of Orsanmichele, you can look at the magnificent openwork arcades on the ground floor, as well as the statue of St. Mark by Donatello and the wonderful altar tabernacle.

Basilica of Santo Spirito

Noteworthy and ancient Basilica of Santo Spirito, built in the 15th century by the famous Brunelleschi. Along with the huge dome, the Duomo is considered one of his most interesting works. It is called the purest example of the early Florentine Renaissance.

Church of Santa Maria del Carmine

Small unremarkable church Santa Maria del Carmine, located on the south bank of the Arno River, also deserves attention. It contains magnificent frescoes from the early Renaissance. It is believed that it was with them that the revolution in European fine art began, which predetermined its development for several centuries to come.

The most beautiful and popular Florence is the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo di Firenze) - the symbol of the capital of Tuscany.

The modern traveler walking the streets near the Cathedral Square will locate Santa Maria del Fiore from afar. The soaring tower of the cathedral rises 90 meters above the ground. The huge building, masterfully decorated with stucco, is crowned with a bright red dome. This dome is like a guiding beacon, it attracts the eye, calls travelers to itself. By the way, not a single, even the widest-angle camera, can completely capture the cathedral building in the lens!

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Italian - La Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore) makes a lasting impression. The vast building does not put pressure on visitors with its monumentality. Interlacing and Gothic, as a result, gave the indescribable beauty of the Quattrocento architectural style. It fills the marble walls of the cathedral with graceful lightness and makes you think about the most intimate. Let us turn to history, what was the life path of this building.

The construction of a new cathedral at the end of the 13th century was taken care of by the Catholic Church. In those days, Florence was developing rapidly, turning into a large city. The number of parishioners of the local church of Santa Reparata exceeded its maximum capacity. The city authorities were also interested in Florence being able to compete with other major cities of Tuscany - Pisa and. Thus, the obsolete Cathedral of Santa Reparata sank into oblivion to make room for its successor.

The construction of the Duomo (cathedral) started in the 13th century, and the last work on the facade was completed by the end of the 19th century.

As many as 6 centuries were spent on the construction of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, famous for its unsurpassed dome and bewitching play of colors on the outside. As a result, the residents received a temple unique in its dimensions, its capacity is 30,000 parishioners. In fact, it is a whole square covered with the dome of the cathedral.

Construction works

He was elected as the architect of the cathedral Arnolfo di Cambio. Based on the ideas of the early Italian Renaissance and the classical elements of the Gothic, the architect conceived a building of grandiose scale. The Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore was seen by the developer as a three-nave temple in the form of a cross. Moreover, the dimensions of the new cathedral exceeded the parameters of its predecessor to a large extent. The entire area, previously occupied by Santa Reparata, fit in the middle nave of Santa Maria del Fiore.

The symbolic foundation stone of the cathedral was laid in September 1296 by the envoy of Pope Boniface VIII. Through the efforts of Arnolfo di Cambio, most of the work on the construction of the walls of the Duomo was completed. However, after the death of the architect, construction was suspended for 30 years. The next curator of the construction of the temple was the famous Italian painter and architect (Italian Giotto di Bondone). The work of this artist was subsequently inspired by such geniuses of art as, and. Giotto at that time worked as the chief architect of Florence. As part of his official duties, he came to grips with work on the Duomo bell tower, called Campanile (Italian Campanile). Giotto developed the building plan for the bell tower, and also created detailed sketches for the exterior decoration of the first tier of the building.

The death of the architect in 1337 temporarily deprived the building of its main creative force. And the plague epidemic that came 11 years later completely interrupted the work.

The workers again transgressed to their duties only in 1349 under the guidance of an architect Francesco Talenti. 10 years later it will be replaced Giovanni di Lappo Ghini. On account of these curators is the completion of the construction of the bell tower and the final formation of the architectural image of the walls of the cathedral. At the beginning of the 15th century, Santa Maria del Fiore was prepared for a dome. In this issue, and there was the greatest snag. The vast area of ​​the dome demanded from the builders at that time the impossible. Therefore, the problem of structural stability had to be solved by engineering.

There is an opinion that the Florentine authorities announced a competition in order to find a solution to the problem that had arisen. On the one hand, it was necessary to come up with an ideal version of the design of the dome, and on the other hand, to solve the problem of its construction at a height of several tens of meters. Be that as it may, the answers to the questions of interest to the builders were born in the head of the architect (Filippo Brunelleschi)

Work on the dome was carried out from 1410 to 1461. As a final architectural touch, Filippo Brunelleschi provided a lantern tower (lantern) crowning the dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. It helps to evenly distribute the weight of the dome on the "drum" of the building, and at the same time has an aesthetic and functional load. The completed building was consecrated by Pope Eugene IV himself, which gave it additional weight in the circles of the Catholic Church.

In the 16th century, a real scandal arose around the cathedral. A solid part of the work related to the exterior of the Duomo was put up for competition. However, various nobles and officials tried to warm their hands on the contestants. As a result, construction activities were delayed until the middle of the 19th century.

Ultimately, the design of the cathedral from 1876 to 1887 was carried out by the Italian architect Emilio de Fabris. The patterns he invented still adorn the facades of Santa Maria del Fiore. A special find of de Fabris is a polychrome facing marble. This material makes the cathedral "play" with colors: white, smoothly flowing into gray, green and pink tones. This palette is designed to imitate the tricolor Italian flag.

The lancet arches of the facade are decorated with frescoes dedicated to the life of the Mother of God. Above the main entrance to the cathedral is the infant Christ, seated on a throne with the Mother of God. This bas-relief is surrounded by statues of twelve preachers. Just above the portal with statues, the facade is decorated with a huge openwork window. The space around the window contains stucco medallions depicting famous residents of Florence. Of great interest are the three bronze doors guarding the entrance to the cathedral.

The interior of the cathedral

An incredible impression on travelers is made by the richness of the external decoration of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, as well as its size. Once inside, the visitor will be confused. The lace pattern of the exterior decor gives way to the laconic interior decoration of the Catholic church. During the reign, a Dominican priest preached in the Duomo Girolamo Savonarola. He was famous for the severity of his views, and did not fail to make sure that the Duomo turned into a model of morality and virtue.

The arches of the cathedral are decorated with frescoes of the 15th century depicting the Florentines who made a great contribution to the life of the city, country and church. These include compositions dedicated to , Giovanni Acuto, Nicolò da Tollentino. In addition, the busts of the work Arnolfo di Cambio, Giotto di Bondone, Brunelleschi, Emilio de Fabrisa.

The most important relic of Santa Maria del Fiore is urn with the relics of Saint Zenobius of Florence, discovered in the ruins of the temple of Santa Reparata in the 14th century. An unusual decoration of the cathedral is the clock created by Paolo Uccelo in 1443. The highlight of the chronometer is that its hands rotate in the opposite direction.

It is simply impossible to ignore the amazing stained glass windows of the Duomo. 44 glass paintings adorn the arches of the naves and transepts. Each of them is dedicated to the deeds of the saints and martyrs of the Old and New Testaments. Rounded stained-glass windows placed in the drum of the dome illustrate scenes from the life of Christ and the Mother of God.

Having enjoyed the energy emanating from the frescoes, stained-glass windows and sculptures located in the walls of the cathedral, it is enough to lift your eyes up to experience a new surge of admiration. The vast dome of the Duomo was masterfully painted in the second half of the 16th century by artists (Giorgio Vasari) and Federico Zuccari.

The picture has a multi-tiered structure and is dedicated to the Last Judgment. The lowest ring is reserved for deadly sins and the inhabitants of Hell, led by the Antichrist. The subsequent rings, going up to the lantern, depict saints, the elders of the apocalypse, heavenly angels, the Mother of God and good deeds. The image of Satan is the antagonist of the bright figure of Christ.

Museum Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore

Most of the items that adorned the interior of the cathedral in the past were gradually moved to the Duomo Museum (Museo dell'Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore), located on Cathedral Square. The room, which served as a workshop for the architect Brunelleschi, opened in 1891 as a museum at the cathedral. Museum visitors will be able to admire the design drawings of the dome, as well as models created by Brunelleschi himself. The magnificent choirs that served as choirboys of the cathedral in the 15th century also find their home in the museum.

The extensive collection of sculpture exhibited at the Duomo Museum deserves special mention. It includes:

• An excellent selection of Florentine sculptures dating back to the 16th century.
• The statue "Penitent Mary Magdalene" (15th century) earlier, which adorned the Baptistery of the Cathedral.
• The "Prophet Habakkuk" (15th century) was moved to the museum from the bell tower;
• Statue dedicated to Pope Boniface VIII by Arnolfo di Cambio - removed from the facade of the cathedral.
• as well as the unfinished work of the great, - "".

Baptistery of San Giovanni

The complex of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore also includes (Battistero di San Giovanni), in other words, a place for baptism. It is made in the form of a separate building, standing near the Duomo on the Cathedral Square. The baptistery bears the name John the Baptist (Italian: San Giovanni Battista), and is the oldest building on the square. The date of its construction is lost in the 5th century AD. The squat hexagonal building is made in the Romanesque style, and it received its modern look in the 12th century. Inside the baptistery, you can admire the golden dome, painted with the faces of Christ, saints, and scenes from the Bible.

Of particular interest are the bas-reliefs that adorned the gates of the baptistery in the 13th-15th centuries. They depict John the Baptist and the Basic Virtues. The newest gate, the eastern one, was decorated in a special way by Lorenzo Ghiberti in the middle of the 15th century. The gilded leaf of the gate was divided into 10 equal plates. In each of them, the sculptor carefully reproduced biblical stories. The second name of this masterpiece is the Gates of Paradise.

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in numbers

If you look at the Duomo from a bird's eye view, then it will be clear that its shape is a Latin cross, whose vertical is 153 meters, and the transept (crossbar width) is 90 meters. The height of the inner arches reaches 23 meters. And the highest point of the cathedral is a bronze ball, at the tip of the dome - 90 meters. Capacity - 30 thousand people. A total of about a dozen architects worked on the construction of the building, and the duration of the work reached 6 centuries.

• its diameter is 42 (!) meters;
• weight - 37 thousand tons;
• the number of bricks is about 4 million pieces.

Given all these data, we can safely say that the Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore is one of the most spacious and impressive temples in Europe!

Practical Information

How to get there

The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is located in the Italian city of Florence at the address: (Piazza del Duomo), building number 17.

Getting to the cathedral is not difficult, as it is located in the city center and is the most famous attraction in Florence. Any bus going to Cathedral Square will do.

Cathedral opening hours

• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday - open from 10:00 to 17:00;
• Saturday - from 10:00 to 16:45;
• Sunday - from 13:30 to 16:45.

You can admire the dome of the cathedral:

• all days except Saturday - from 8:30 to 19:00;
• Saturday - from 8:30 to 16:40.

Museum opening hours

• all days except Sunday - from 9:00 to 19:00;
• Sunday - from 9:00 to 13:45.

Ticket price

Since 2018, you can enjoy the beauty of the interior decoration of Santa Maria del Fiore by purchasing a single ticket in advance for 18 euros, which is also valid for climbing the dome (advance booking is needed), visiting the Duomo Museum and the Baptistery.

The current ticket price and timetable can always be checked on the official website www.museumflorence.com, which is available in Italian and English.

For children aged 3 to 11, the ticket price is 3 euros. Tickets are valid for 72 hours, each attraction can be visited once.

You can also get into the cathedral for free after standing in a queue for about 2 hours.

Alternative options:

You can get to the dome without a queue as part of a group tour in English, duration 1 hour, cost 40 euros per person, start time 10:00 or 14:00. Also, this option is suitable for those who did not have time to reserve a time to visit the dome in advance.

Take the time to take the whole day for a stroll through the Cathedral Square and a tour of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. The external beauty and colossal historical value of the Duomo create an indescribable atmosphere of belonging to something eternal.

Those who want to fall in love with the beauty of Florence with the Italy team for me are invited to ours.

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Hello Florence lovers. Today we will tell you about the city that is impossible not to fall in love with and about the most famous building in it. There are an incredible number of beautiful buildings in Florence, but our story today is about the main building of Piazza del Duomo in Florence, or, in our language, about the city's cathedral. Santa Maria del Fiore is one of the five grandest cathedrals in the world.

Italy. Florence. Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.

The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is shaped like a Latin cross. A particularly noteworthy detail here is the dome created by Filippo Brunelleschi and the marble panels in different colors.

The dimensions of the cathedral are huge - it was created with the expectation that, if necessary, the entire population of the city could easily fit here at the same time.

The total area of ​​the cathedral is 8300 square meters with a height of 45 meters.

Story

The Duomo, as this cathedral is also called, was built on the site of the Cathedral of Santa Reparata, the latter had already begun to collapse by the 14th century. In addition, the previous temple was already small for the city. Arnolfodi Cambio was commissioned to design the new building for the Guild of Arts.

The building was erected for about six centuries. True, after the death of its designer, construction was briefly suspended. The relics of Zenobius of Florence brought to Florence became a new impetus for work on this building.

Interior

Compared to the opulent exterior, the interior of the cathedral looks rather modest. Outwardly, it is a Gothic building with features of Quattrocento architecture.

Inside it is a laconic Catholic church.

In many ways, perhaps, the Dominican priest Girolamo Savonarola is to blame here. He was famous for his strictness of views. And he tried to make the Duomo become a stronghold of morality and modesty.

A bright detail of the interior of the cathedral can be called a clock. Their arrow moves in the opposite direction from the usual direction.

The vaults of the building are decorated with frescoes. They depict Florentines who contributed to the development of their city.

It is impossible not to notice the stained-glass windows of the temple. You will see them on the drum of the dome. They tell about the life of the Mother of God and Christ.

The dome itself is also worthy of admiration. It was painted in the 16th century. Here you will see images of saints, angels, elders of the apocalypse and other characters.

Museum

Almost all the items that previously adorned the cathedral were moved to the Museum of Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore, which is located on the Cathedral Square.

This room was previously the workshop of Filippo Brunneleschi. Therefore, now you can familiarize yourself with the drawings of the master and layouts.

There are also the choirs of the cathedral and a collection of sculptures that adorned the baptistery of the cathedral, the bell tower and the facade of the building.

Baptistery

And since we mentioned the baptistery, a few words about it. The Baptistery of San Giovanni is a separate building located near the Duomo.

It is named after John the Baptist and is the oldest building in the square. Inside it are the faces of Christ and bas-reliefs.

Working hours

• Weekdays except Thursday: 10:00 – 17:00
• Saturday: 10:00 – 16:45
• Sunday: 10:30 - 16:45

What is the price

• Inspection of the building is free.
• Ascent to the dome - 6 euros.
• A visit to the Duomo Museum - 6 euros.
• Complex ticket - 8 euros.

Of course, prices may change, so check the information on the official website.

Official site: www.ilgrandemuseodelduomo.it

Where to stay in Florence

Now a lot of housing options in Florence appeared on the service Airbnb. We have written how to use this service. If you do not find a free room in the hotel, then look for accommodation through this booking site.

We lived in a hotel MsnSuites Palazzo dei Ciompi Florence. We had apartments with a kitchen.

We offer good options for hotels in Florence

How to get there

You can get to it by any bus passing through the Cathedral Square, for example, 6, 17, 37.

Do not forget to see other famous buildings of the square: the Baptistery, Giotto's Campanile, the museum.

Address: Piazza del Duomo, 17

Cathedral on the map

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