Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore showing a church or cathedral and heritage architecture
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The “Saint Mary of the Flower” cathedral and its towering dome have come to symbolize Florence.

The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is also known as the Duomo, which is an Italian term for cathedral. Dominating the Florence skyline is the Duomo’s magnificent dome, considered by many to be the most important architectural achievement of the Renaissance. Inside the cathedral, you’ll find stained-glass windows and frescoes by Italian masters, and one of the oldest examples of an hora italica clock in the world. For many, the most impressive part of a visit is a close-up view of the building itself.

Plans for the cathedral were first drawn up in 1294 by the architect Arnolfo di Cambio and construction started two years later. The building was consecrated in 1436, following contributions from several different architects. Arguably the most significant was Filippo Brunelleschi, who designed the dome. At 149 feet (45.5 meters) in diameter, it was the largest structure of its kind anywhere in the world, and remains the largest brick and mortar dome in the world today. Climb the 463 steps (there’s no lift) of the dome for a superb panorama of the city. There is a fee to visit the dome.

Join the crowds in the Piazza del Duomo and pause to take in the cathedral’s impressive exterior. The pink, white and green marble of the façade was actually a late addition to the cathedral and completed in the late 1800s.

The 44 stained-glass windows depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments are among the highlights inside the cathedral. Don’t miss the giant clock above the entrance on the inside of the church. Designed in 1443, this clock is one of the last working examples of an hora italica timepiece, a 24-hour clock on which the last hour falls at sunset.

Santa Maria del Fiore is open daily, except for January 6 (Epiphany). Entry is free. While the lines to enter can be long, they generally move fast. If you are traveling in a group of more than four you may be required to take an audio or radio guide.

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Reviews of Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

4.5
Top destination
5 - Excellent
156
" "5 - Excellent 56.72727272727273%
4 - Good
102
" "4 - Good 37.09090909090909%
3 - Okay
15
" "3 - Okay 5.454545454545454%
2 - Disappointing
1
" "2 - Disappointing 0.36363636363636365%
1 - Terrible
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" "1 - Terrible 0.36363636363636365%

2/5 - Disappointing

Verified traveller
19 Aug 2019

Horrendous queues for everything. We didn’t bother fighting through the hordes and decided to give it a miss. Beautiful exterior though.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
31 Jul 2019

Pre book with guide .

3/5 - Okay

Verified traveller
25 Jul 2019

Always long queues to get in - although it's free to enter. Women must make sure that shoulders and legs are covered modestly - they don't do a check until you're actually at the door, which is really unhelpful, and you could get turned away after a hour or more queueing. Inside, the Cathedral is impressive but not spectacular, the churches of Santa Croce and Santa Maria Novella are much more impressive.

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller
30 May 2019

You need to book the climb of the dome in of your trip - 3 day wait when we got there & we couldn't do it.

3/5 - Okay

Verified traveller
21 May 2019

The queues for the Duomo are insane - an hour and a half queuing and frankly the inside is rather a let down after you have visited some of the other churches. Except for the decoration on the dome itself, definitely more impressive on the outside than the inside!

3/5 - Okay

Verified traveller
29 Apr 2019

It was impossible to visit as the queues went all around the cathedral

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