Page 286 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italy

284  CENTR AL IT AL Y

7 Duomo and Baptistry Campanile
At 85 m (276 ft),
Rising above the heart of the city, the richly decorated the Campanile
is 6 m (20 ft)
Duomo – Santa Maria del Fiore – and its orange-tiled shorter than
dome have become Florence’s most famous symbols. the dome. It is
Typical of the Florentine determination to lead in all clad in white,
things, the cathedral is Europe’s fourth-largest church, green and pink
Tuscan marble.
and to this day it still remains the city’s tallest building.
The Baptistry, with its celebrated bronze doors, may
date back to the 4th century, making it one of Florence’s
oldest buildings. The Campanile, designed by Giotto in
1334, was completed in 1359, 22 years after his death.

Campanile Reliefs
Copies of reliefs by
Andrea Pisano on the
. Baptistry Campanile’s first storey
Colourful 13th-century depict the Creation
mosaics illustrating the Last of Man, and the Arts
Judgment decorate the and the Industries. The
ceiling above the octagonal originals are kept in the
font, where many famous Museo dell’Opera
Florentines, including Dante, del Duomo
were baptized. The doors are (see p283).
by Andrea Pisano
(south) and Lorenzo
Ghiberti (north, east). Main entrance
North Doors

East Doors
(see p286)

South Doors
KEY
1 The Neo-Gothic marble facade 4 The Last Judgment frescoes Brunelleschi copied from the
echoes the style of Giotto’s Campanile, (1572–4) by Vasari were completed Pantheon in Rome.
but was only added in 1871–87. by Zuccari. 6 The marble sanctuary around
2 Gothic windows 5 Bricks were set between the High Altar was created by Baccio
3 The top of the dome offers marble ribs in a self-supporting Bandinelli in 1555.
spectacular views over the city. herringbone pattern – a technique

For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp569–73 and pp590–96

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