A symbol of the Tuscan city’s power and prosperity, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore has amazed the world with its gigantic dome designed by Filippo Brunelleschi. The same goes for Giotto’s campanile.
The admiration that Leon Battista Alberti expressed in 1436 for the work of Filippo Brunelleschi – Pippo to his fellow citizens – has not yet faded. In terms of its dimensions, the purity of its lines and the astonishing ingenuity of its creators, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is without doubt one of the greatest feats of Renaissance architecture and engineering.
Tip: to really get to know this monument, we recommend a guided tour of the cathedral’s interior.
What is the history of Florence’s Duomo?
Before the construction of Santa Maria del Fiore, there was an older church dedicated to Santa Reparata, probably built in the 6th century. By 1200, this church had become too small for the city’s population, and was also quite dilapidated. The Florentines decided to build a new, larger and more beautiful cathedral in the Gothic style in vogue at the time.
The ambition was great: they wanted to make it the largest cathedral in Europe! To achieve this, the city called on the archistar of the day: Arnolfo di Cambio. Work began in 1296, but it took 140 years and many architects to complete the structure: finally, in 1436, the church was finished, thanks to the magnificent dome designed by Filippo Brunelleschi.
Even today, as you stroll through the cathedral, in all its splendor of polychrome marble and sculptural decoration, the most attentive observer will notice a curious change of style in the mullioned windows on the sides. There is a variation in their dimensions. It’s often said that “Rome wasn’t built in a day”, and even the Cathedral of S. Maria del Fiore has seen a succession of master builders at the helm of its two-century-long project. With them came variations in the course of construction: the elevation of the last mullioned windows is a fundamental indication of this.
These changes to the original project occurred when Francesco Talenti was appointed master builder. The great sculptor and architect had taken over the legacy of Arnolfo, Giotto and Andrea Pisano in 1350, and his extensive training inspired great confidence in the supervisory authorities. Born into a family of sculptors and architects, Francesco Talenti had worked on the great Florentine building sites in his youth, following in the footsteps of Andrea Pisano and Andrea di Cione.
Now let’s take a look at the various works of art you’ll see in the Duomo, located in Florence’s historic center.
Visit the Duomo and admire the busts of the artists: Giotto, Brunelleschi, Arnolfo and Emilio de Fabris
As soon as you enter, on the right wall of the church, you’ll be greeted by some of the artists who worked on the construction of this cathedral: you’ll see two roundels carved with the portraits of Brunelleschi, architect of the famous Duomo, and Giotto, who designed the splendid bell tower that flanks the Duomo. On the opposite wall, you’ll find the portrait of Arnolfo di Cambio, as well as that of Emilio de Fabris, who designed the façade much later, at the end of the 19th century: the first and last architect to close the circle on the church’s construction.
Art is honored in all its forms, including music: next to the architects stands the bust of Antonio Squarcialupi, the most talented organist of the 15th century. His extraordinary talent led to his selection as organist of Santa Maria del Fiore at the suggestion of Lorenzo the Magnificent!
The strange clock on the interior façade of Florence Cathedral
If you turn your back for a moment to look at the front door, you’ll notice that above the main door is a bizarre clock, painted by Paolo Uccello in 1442, surrounded by four prophets’ heads peering out from the corners.
You’ve probably noticed that the dial of this clock is divided into 24 segments instead of 12, and that the hours are indicated by counter-clockwise Roman numerals. What’s more, this clock indicates a different time from the watch you wear on your wrist… how come?
It’s not a malfunction as you might think at first glance, but simply a different way of counting the hours. This is known as italic time. With italic time, we started counting the hours from sunset. The last hour of light before sunset was therefore the twenty-fourth hour, our midnight.
Dante’s portrait in the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
Florence’s Duomo features a portrait of Dante Alighieri, often reproduced in school textbooks… do you recognize it?
Here, Dante, dressed in red, holds a book that is clearly the Divine Comedy, and is surrounded in the background by Hell, Purgatory and Paradise, depicted as he describes them.
On the right, you’ll also notice the silhouette of Florence at this time: we’re in the mid-15th century, and the Duomo doesn’t yet have its full marble exterior.
We know that Dante readings were held in the Duomo, and poetry competitions were organized inside the cathedral. As well as being a church, it was also a lively cultural center!
The frescoes on the cathedral dome: Brunelleschi’s Dome
We’ve said that the interior of the church is simple and uncluttered, but once under the dome, you’ll realize that this part is an exception. This is the true heart of the church, located above the altar and the brightest area of the building. And it’s certainly also the most complex part of the construction, where Filippo Brunelleschi’s genius came into play.
According to early plans, the dome was to be entirely covered with rich mosaics, as was already the case for the baptistery. Over time, however, and especially after the construction of Brunelleschi’s dome, it was realized that mosaics were unsuitable, as they would have weighed down the already delicate structure. Moreover, in the 16th century, mosaics were an expensive and outmoded technique. For all these reasons, it was decided to decorate the interior of the dome using the less expensive fresco technique. The work was entrusted to Giorgio Vasari and continued after his death by Federico Zuccari.
The artists worked from 1572 to 1578 on the theme of the Last Judgment.
You may have noticed a certain similarity in color to another, more famous Last Judgment: Michelangelo’s Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel. But make no mistake! Michelangelo was considered the greatest artist of all time, and his works were a true model to follow.
Piazza del Duomo: don’t miss Florence’s Duomo Baptistery
The Baptistery is located in Florence’s Piazza del Duomo. It is built on an ancient Roman house. It is octagonal in shape, made of white and green marble, with a pyramid-shaped roof. In the past, it was the cathedral, but was converted into a baptistery in 1128. It was also used for baptisms once or twice a year.
