Florence, a Tale of Three Piazzas.....Part Two.....Piazza del Duomo

     Walk just two short blocks north of Piazza della Repubblica, past the Savoy Hotel and Hugo Boss, past swanky Caffe' Gilli, past Armani and Prada, and you will set foot in one of the most important public spaces in the western world, Piazza del Duomo.  This is not a place where you snap a few photos and move on. When you arrive in this piazza, whether it's your first time or like our's, the fourth, you stand in slack-jawed awe as you stare at the magnificent buildings in front of you.

     Piazza del Duomo contains probably the most recognizable Cathedral in the world, the Duomo of Florence, officially Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral.  Construction began in 1296, and the building was consecrated in 1436, after completion of the incredible dome that was engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi. Amazingly, when the building was designed, it was not known how the dome would be built, as one that large had never been attempted.  Brunelleschi came up with a plan, convinced the city and church fathers his plan was the best, and here it stands today.  The striking and unique exterior of the Duomo is due to its alternating layers of white, green, and red marble sourced from various sites around Italy.

     Two other extremely important and recognizable buildings inhabit the piazza..... Giotto's Campanile, or Bell Tower, and the octagonal Baptistery of St. John.  The baptistery was built between 1059 and 1128, making it older than the Duomo.  The three structures in Piazza del Duomo are so distinct, yet play off each other in a memorable and profound way.

     Another important but less recognizable building in the piazza is the Museum of the Duomo, which contains masterpieces by Michelangelo, Donatello, Ghilberti, Luca della Robbia, and others.

     Night or day, Piazza del Duomo will always amaze.....

     You can walk.... yes, walk... up to the top of the dome.  We haven't done it, but here are some folks who did.....

     Here is an interior shot of the incredible marble floor.....

     There was a charity road race that started in the piazza, we snapped this shot as the runners whizzed by.....

     The sense of history is profound here, you can almost feel it under your feet.  Beyond the trendy shops and chic eateries, when you walk here you walk in the footsteps of giants....

     The next post will address Piazza della Signoria.....

     Click on any photo to enlarge.....