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Art and Culture
Churches
Duomo (Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore)
 Situated in Piazza San Giovanni in front of the ancient basilica of Santa Reparata, the gothic cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore was begun in 1296 by Arnolfo di Cambio and was consecrated in 1436.
The exterior was finished in the second half of the fourteenth century, perhaps by Francesco Talenti. The contrast between the main body of the nave and the octagonal end section is quite notable.
The grandious structure of the dome, 114 meters high, shows a magnificent architectural plasticity that greatly surpasses the limits of the gothic.
The dome was finished in 1436 according to Brunelleschi's plans. On the sides of the church, the "Almond Door" (relief by Nanni di Banco) and the "Canonical Door" are especially worth noting.
The present facade, a modest work by De Fabris, was done in 1887.
Arnolfo's original facade was demolished in the sixteenth century, but fragments of his sculptures remain in the Museum of the Works of the Duomo.
The interior, in the shape of a Latin cross with three naves, is of the purest and most majestic lines. Among the numerous works of art, the frescoes done for G. Acuto (by Paolo Uccello) and for Niccolo da Tolentino (by Andrea del Castagno) are especially noteworthy. The windows by Paolo Uccello, Andrea del Castagno, Ghiberti and Donatello are also very beautiful.
The polychrome marble flooring, completed between the sixteenth and the seventeenth centuries, is attributed to Baccio d'Agnolo and Francesco da Sangallo. |
