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Vacation 

If it's Monday 24/09/1998, this must be Florence

 |Rome | GardaLake| ComoLake | IseoLake | Maggiore | OrtaLake|

 Florence The Cathedral 

In 1294 the Architect Arnolfo di Cambio was asked to builtthe new Cathedral( Duomo )His idea was very simple:It had to be the most sumptuous and wonderful Cathedral ever conceived. The Duomo was built in the place where an old church dedicated to S.Reparta already existed. The latter's crypt can still be seen under the new Cathedral. Arnolfo planned a Latin cross, with a nave and two aisles with four pointed arches for each side, and in each arm he placed five rectangular chapels with cross vaults,but he died before the work was completed. Giotto da Vesprignano succeeded him in directing the work and after him other important architects.

 

 

 The façade of the Duomo in white Carrara marble, green Prato marble and Pink Maremma marble, was completed in 1887 following Emilio de Fabbri's design.The three doors of the façade look on the same number of circular windows with stained glass designed by Lorenzo Ghiberti.The clock was decorated by Paolo Uccello.Below it there is the mosaic of the "Coronation of Our Lady", by Gaddo Gaddi.Giotto's bell tower is a wonderful example of Gothic Florentine Architecture. Giotto started it in 1334 

 

who built the basement and completed by Andrea Pisano after 1337. The bell tower is 84.70 meters high. There are 414 internalsteps that lead to the top. The building is thought to have cost the Florentine Republic roughly, 14 million gold guilders. View of the "Baptistry"from aboveIt was originally Florence Cathedral and then become the Baptistry,when the Episcopal seat was moved to SANTA REPARTA,the current Duomo(now called SANTA MARIA DEL FIORE).The present appearance of the building comes from a general rearrangement of a previous building.The Baptistry,SAN GIOVANNI, was considered the temple of Republic and was used for ceremonies and political meetings,investitures and blessing.Once a year a collective baptismal ceremony was celebrated.The east door of the Baptistry is called " the Door of Heaven "Gilberti started this door in1425,after making the north door.On the 10 panels there are Biblical scenes including Adam and Eve'screation, the story of Noah, Moses receiving the Tables and the story of Caino and Abel. 

 
Giotto Tower

 

The Duomo was consecrated by Eugenio IV in 1436,but the façade was completed only many centuries later.The impressive structural mass is enlivened by the polychromatic marble covering. In the first part we have the so called" Door of the Bell Tower", from the second half of the 14th century, in the second part we have the "Door of the Canons" from the end of the 14th century.At the back the massive structure of the tribune extends, with three octagonal apses interpolated with four minor ones.Above the high tambour holds up the enormous Dome by Brunelleschi.Going along the perimeter we can find the 15th century "Door of the Mandorla" with mosaic by Ghirlandaio,and the "Door of the Balla "from the end of 14th century.In 1421 Filippo Brunelleschi started working on the Duomo.He conceived it as a double vault to save the internal walls from humidity. For reason of costs he had to make the Duomo without a fixed centre, which was unheard of in that period.Brunelleschi solved the problem using a self-carrying construction with the walls, a structure resembling a fish bone.