Guest article from Maria who is a huge history buff and makes it her mission in each new place to sniff out the oldest places to go and recommends the site http://www.aboutflorence.com/ for the best places to visit in Florence!
One of the most distinctive features which you simply cannot miss in the city of Florence, is the enormous dome roofed Cathedral which is known as the Duomo di Firenze. Towering high above the entire city, it is Florence’s defining landmark. ‘Duomo’ is derived from the Latin word ‘domus’, which means ‘home’. In this instance the ‘duomo’ is the home of god. It is also known as ‘Cattedrale Santa Maria del Fiore’, which means ‘Basilica of Saint Mary of the Flower’. The Duomo is an awe inspiring gothic structure, and it really does stand out as the main Cathedral in Florence. Both aesthetically and historically this is one of Florence’s most relevant remaining artefacts.
The history of the Duomo
It was built on the site of the 7th century church Santa Reperata, and the remains of this church can still be seen in the crypt. The Duomo in its first step to being as it is today was completed in the late 13th century, as designed by Arnolfo di Cambio. It was not until the 15th century that the dome was added to the structure. The dome was engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi, and was built without scaffolding. One can only imagine how they managed to get the dome up and into place, which at the time was the biggest in the world. In 1507 Baccio d’Agnolo began building a balcony around the inside of the dome. The dome is actually split into 8 sections, and by 1515 d’Agnolo had finished just one side. It is reported that Michelangelo was asked his opinion on this feature, and his reply was to scoff and say the balcony ‘looked like a cricket cage’. His opinion as an artist and architect at this time was as good as gospel, and therefore work was stopped on the balcony, and to this day the seven remaining sides are still unfinished and plain brick.
Best climb in Florence
Nonetheless, the Duomo is a sight to behold, and the best view of it is to climb the steps up to the dome, where you will see Giorgio Vasari’s highly acclaimed frescoes of ‘the Last Judgement’. There are many other pieces of sacred art and beautiful timeless architecture. At 8 euros, the entry fee is well worth paying. To be honest, if you are in Florence you will definitely be drawn towards the Duomo, and just seeing the marble facades on the outside walls will no doubt entice you in whether you like it or not. I am pretty sure you will like it, or at least appreciate it, and feel the sheer depth of history that encapsulates this sacred place. Although simple and even rather stark in contrast to the outside of the Duomo, its inside has a feeling of serenity which is very welcoming. If you close your eyes you can imagine the processions of old, the ancient traditions, baptisms and services going back for centuries. If you are visiting Florence I would say this is the one place you simply could not miss.
Maria is a huge history buff and makes it her mission in each new place to sniff out the oldest places to go. She has found the site HouseTrip very useful on her travels and recommends the site http://www.aboutflorence.com/ for the best places to visit in Florence!