Duomo di Firenze Information

Construction of the new basilica began in 1296 with the initial design by Arnolfo di Cambio and was completed 140years later in 1436 under the direction of Filippo Brunelleschi who was responsible for the magnificent red brick dome. The massive dome itself took almost seventeen years to build and was constructed between 1420 and 1436. It is still the largest dome in the world that is constructed from approximately four million bricks and weighs a massive 37,000 tons.

The surrounding grounds, the Piazza del Duomo, are home to two other world heritage buildings: Giotto’s Campanile and the Battistero di San Giovanni both adjacent to the Duomo. Giotto’s Campanile is an 85m (278 ft) tower that was constructed between 1334 and 1359 and contains seven bells. The Campanile also provides magnificent views of the countryside but to reach the top you must first climb the 414 steps. The Battistero di San Giovanni is a large octagonal baptistery that was constructed between 1059 and 1128. Perhaps the most striking feature of the baptistry is the gilded bronze doors that took twenty one years to complete. They are comprised of twenty-eight panels - twenty of which portray the life of Christ in the New Testament, while the remaining eight depict the church fathers and the four evangelists.