Santa Maria del Fiore (aka Florence Duomo) is steeped in history spanning 1600 years!

One can't help feeling humbled and quite frankly, dwarfed as you stand beside Florence's Duomo with Brunelleschi's dome rising boldly to the heavens or next to Giotto's campanile standing alongside since 1333. Imagine for a moment, what life was like before the Duomo when an ancient Christian basilica stood on these grounds in the late 4th century when this colony of Rome, known as Florentia, was bustling with Roman denizens? Come with me to explore this Piazza del Duomo which has been the religious center of Florence for over 1600 years and we'll examine the monuments that stood the test of time, those that didn't and we'll uncover the mysteries that lie beneath. Did you know that one of these edifices still holds the world record for the largest brick and mortar dome that has come to define and dominate the skyline of this Renaissance City of Florence? Care to have a guess?

Our journey started after our fabulous half-day tour in Fiesole, when en-route to our hotel, we toured the magnificent and cavernous cathedral of Florence, Santa Maria del Fiore or more commonly known as the Duomo. Santa Maria del Fiore translated means Saint Mary of the Flower, with the flower being Christ Himself as the fruit of our salvation. Designed by Arnolfo Di Cambio, construction began in 1296 and completed, sans the dome, in 1348. It wasn't until 1436 that Brunelleschi's "dome within a dome" was completed and finally capped off with his lantern 10 years after that. Containing holy relics, the gilt copper ball that adorns the top of the lantern was added in 1471. This marked the end of a construction period that spanned 170 years. Quite an astonishing feat!

Truly a sight to behold in person, this titanic structure stretches 153 meters (502 feet) long, 90 meters (295 feet) at its widest point and 90 meters from floor to the top of the dome. Covered in green and pink marble framed by white marble strips, the façade of this great cathedral wasn't completed in the 15th century, but nearly 400 years later by Emilio De Fabris. Look carefully and you'll see statuary adorning the niches along the sides, Mother Mary enthroned with a flowered scepter over the front door and various mosaics depicting scenes of Christ, St. Mary and St. John the Baptist, local artisans and merchants, and other prominent Florentine figures over the remaining doors. Truly a stunning sight from any angle and the perfect Kodak moment.

To this day, Brunelleschi's dome remains the largest brick dome in the world and no picture of Florence is complete without it.

Only the Pantheon in Rome is larger but is composed of concrete so there's no contest. Speaking of contests, back in 1419, the city of Florence conducted one for the best dome design that would top off the basilica's octagonal base. Brunelleschi, a local artist and architect, competed and won against Ghiberti, the artist whom Brunelleschi lost to in an earlier competition for the bronze panels of the "Gates of Paradise", the eastern doors of the Baptistery (my next posting).

The contest specifically called for a dome design that would span 42 meters (140 feet) and could not contain flying buttresses which were shunned by the Italians. With the support of Cosimo de Medici, Brunelleschi presented his idea, a "dome within a dome" design that would not require flying buttresses and amazingly enough, not even scaffolding surrounding the exterior. The concept was to build an internal dome made of lightweight materials which would then provide support for the outer shell construction composed of more weather resistant materials. Overall, this would be the first octagonal dome ever built and because the recipe for concrete had been lost since the age of the Pantheon, Brunelleschi would have to build his dome with bricks and mortar, hence, the explanation for the world record. Today, you can climb the 463 steps and see firsthand, this unique method of construction. Sounds daunting, yes, however, the view of surrounding Florence and Tuscany from high atop the dome, is amazing and definitely worth every huff and puff upon arrival. Take a look at the view from the top of the campanile...click on Italy Guides for a sweeping 360 degree panorama!

Compared to the highly adorned exterior of the cathedral, the interior is more reserved in its design and features frescos painted by the Florentine masters in the 14th and 15th centuries. Along the walls, you'll discover frescos by Paolo Uccello, Adrean del Castagno, a painting of Dante and his "Divine Comedy" by Domenico di Michelino and sculptural portraits of Giotto and Brunelleschi. Later in the 19th century, busts were added of Arnolfo di Cambio, the original cathedral designer, and Emilio De Fabris, the 19th century exterior designer. Adorning the interior walls of the dome, 295 feet into the air is Vasari's "Last Judgment" which was ordered by Cosimo de Medici. Brace yourself, the painting is 295 feet away and neck strain is inevitable but worth it nonetheless. The artist, Vasari, was mentioned in my previous posting about the Uffizi Gallery and he is the same man who designed the "Vasari Corridor" that stretches from the Uffizi Gallery to the Pitti Palace on the other side of the Arno. I suggest you rent an audio guide for your journey as you tour around the interior of the cathedral and examine the art. It's only three Euros but worth every one.

To our surprise, after our audio tour concluded, we were on our way out the front doors when we noticed a stairway descending to a lower level just inside and to left of the cathedral's front doors, or to the right when you come from the front. This was our gateway and could be yours to the past, to the end of the 4th century and beyond. There was a nominal charge but it was worth it! But what was down here?

Well, after the major renovation of the Duomo in 1966, the remains of an ancient Christian basilica were unearthed just 4 meters below the floor of today's Duomo and were later identified as Santa Reparata, built during the late 4th and early 5th centuries in what was known then as the Roman colony of Florentia. Before construction could begin on today's Duomo, the city of Florence during the 13th century, first had to raze Santa Reparata or most of it because of its state of disrepair after having stood for close to 900 years. The population of Florence was outgrowing the capacity of this ancient place of worship and the city wanted its own cathedral, grander in design than its neighboring city states of Siena and Pisa. Thus, the Duomo was born.

After you descend and pay the admission fee, you enter into this subterranean wonderland. We couldn't believe our eyes and were so amazed that we knew nothing of this place until we arrived. You can walk down the nave to the altar...,

examine the mosaic flooring..., columns that used to support the ceiling, ancient frescos still in tact..., tombs...and other fascinating remnants of the ancient structure. In addition, the steps leading your descent are actually the remains of a stairway that lead to the choir in the ancient basilica. It's a fascinating journey into the past that I strongly recommend you take. The diagram below provides some perspective from the present day cathedral to that of Santa Reparata, the smallest footprint.
Back outside, there are two remaining buildings of this Piazza del Duomo, the Baptistery and Giotto's Campanile. We will explore these in more detail in my next posting.

For over 1600 years, the site of Santa Maria del Fiore and all that came before it holds wonder and fascination for all who visit. It's a journey of the soul to the past and present. When you plan to go, don't worry about getting there early in the morning when lines are at their longest, wait until the afternoon, providing the cathedral and bell tower remain open, and then visit. The lines may look long but not as long as they are in the morning and they do move quickly. I urge everyone to include this in your itinerary when planning your visit to this Renaissance city.

Ciao from Florence!