The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore is the cathedral church, or Duomo, of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Florence, noted for its distinctive dome. Its name (which translates as "Saint Mary of the Flower") refers to the lily, symbol of Florence, or to the old town name Fiorenza. But a 15th c. document on the other hand states that the "flower" refers to Christ. A cathedral is a Christian church building, specifically of a denomination with an episcopal hierarchy, such as the Anglican, Roman Catholic and some Lutheran churches, which serves as the central church of a diocese, and thus as a bishops seat. ... Duomo is a generic Italian term for a cathedral church. ... The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Florence, also called the Archdiocese of Firenze, is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Italy. ... lily is the best name in the whole wide world. ...

The cathedral complex includes the church proper, the baptistery and the campanile (bell tower). The Battistero di San Giovanni (Baptistery of St John) is believed to be the oldest building in Florence. ... St. ...

Side view of the Duomo with the dome and the belltower

Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

History

The cathedral, the third to be built in Florence after Santa Croce and Santa Maria Novella , was built on the site of the previous one, Santa Reparata, prompted by the magnificence of the new cathedrals in Pisa and Siena. At the end of the 13th century, the nine centuries old church of Santa Reparata was crumbling with age, as attested in documents of that time. Furthermore, it was becoming too small in a period of rapid population expansion. Prosperous Florence wanted to surpass in grandeur its Tuscan rivals Pisa and Siena with a most magnificent church, grander in size and more richly adorned at the exterior. This cathedral was, as a result, the largest in Europe when it was completed, with room for 30,000 people. It is now only exceeded in size by Saint Peter's Cathedral in the Vatican, Saint Paul's Cathedral in London and the Milan Cathedral. For the basilica in Florence, see Basilica di Santa Croce di Firenze Santa Croce is one of the six sestieri of Venice. ... The Romanesque-Gothic facade, completed by Leon Battista Alberti in 1470 Santa Maria Novella is a church in Florence. ... Below the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore there are remains of a paleo-christian cult area and the building of Santa Reparata Ever since the barbaric ages there was an area in the north of Florence which was dedicated to the christian cult of the time and up to... Pisa is a city in Tuscany, central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. ... This page is about Siena, Italy. ... Saint Peters Cathedral may refer to the following Christian cathedrals: St. ... St Pauls Cathedral is a cathedral on Ludgate Hill, in the City of London in London, and the seat of the Bishop of London. ... The Duomo di Milano is one of the most famous buildings in Europe. ...

View of the Facade with Tower

The new church was designed by Arnolfo di Cambio in 1296 to be the largest Roman Catholic church in the world (although the design was altered several times and later reduced in size). Arnolfo di Cambio was also the famous architect of the church of Santa Croce and the Palazzo Vecchio. He designed three wide naves ending under the octogonal dome, with the middle nave covering the surface of Santa Reparata. The first stone was laid on 1296-09-08 by cardinal Valeriana, the first papal legate ever sent to Florence. The building of this vast project was to last 170 years, the collective efforts of several generations. Image File history File links Santa_maria_del_fiore. ... Image File history File links Santa_maria_del_fiore. ... The tabernacle over the high altar of St. ... Events March 30 - Edward I stormed Berwick-upon-Tweed, sacking the then Scottish border town with much bloodshed. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... For the basilica in Florence, see Basilica di Santa Croce di Firenze Santa Croce is one of the six sestieri of Venice. ... Palazzo della Signoria Palazzo della Signoria was the original name of the Palazzo Vecchio, before the government of the Republic of Florence was moved to the Uffizi under Cosimo I de Medici. ... Events March 30 - Edward I stormed Berwick-upon-Tweed, sacking the then Scottish border town with much bloodshed. ... September 8 is the 251st day of the year (252nd in leap years). ... The word legate comes from the Latin legare (to send). It has several meanings, all related to representatives: A legate is a member of a diplomatic embassy. ...

After Arnolfo died in 1302, work on the cathedral slowed or was suspended during thirty years. The building drive got a new impetus, when the relics of San Zanobius were discovered in 1330 in San Reparata. In 1331, the Arte della Lana (Guild of Wool Merchants) took over the exclusive patronage for the construction of the cathedral and in 1334 they appointed Giotto as overseer for the work. Assisted by Andrea Pisano, he continued along di Cambio's design. His major accomplishment was the building campanile, but he died in 1337. Andrea Pisano continued the building, until he was stopped by the Black Plague in 1348. Events July 11 - Battle of the Golden Spurs (Guldensporenslag in Dutch), major victory of Flanders over the French occupier. ... Events September 8 - Stefan Dusan declares himself king of Serbia Start of the reign of Emperor Kogon of Japan, first of the Northern Ashikaga Pretenders Births Coluccio Salutati, Florentine political leader (died 1406) Deaths January 14 - Odoric, Italian explorer October 27 - Abulfeda, Arab historian and geographer (born 1273) Categories: 1331... Events Births January 4 - Amadeus VI of Savoy, Count of Savoy (died 1383) January 13 - King Henry II of Castile (died 1379) May 25 - Emperor Suko of Japan, third of the Northern Ashikaga Pretenders (died 1398) August 30 - King Peter I of Castile (died 1369) James I of Cyprus (died... Statue of Giotto di Bondone, close to the Uffizi. ... Andrea Pisano (c. ... Events March 17 - Edward, the Black Prince is created Duke of Cornwall, becoming the first English Duke Beginning of the Hundred Years War between France and England Bisham Priory founded Scaligeri family loses control of Padua; Alberto della Scala, music patron of the Italian trecento, moves to Verona Births Louis... This article concerns the epidemic of the mid-14th century. ...

It was not until 1349 that work resumed on the cathedral itself under a series of architects, starting with Francesco Talenti, who finished the belltower and enlarged the overall project with the apse and the side chapels, but did not alter the outside. After 1359 he was succeeded by Giovanni di Lapo Ghini (1360–1369) who divided the center nave in four square bays. Other architects were Alberto Arnoldi, Giovanni d'Ambrogio, Neri di Fioravante and Orcagna. By 1375 the old church Santa Reparata was pulled down. The nave was finished by 1380, and by 1418 only the dome was left uncompleted. // Events August 24 - Black Death outbreak in Elbing (modern-day Elblag in Poland) October 20 - Pope Clement VI publishes a papal bull that condemns the Flagellants The bubonic plague is spread to Norway when an English ship with everyone dead on board floats to Bergen Births September 9 - Duke Albert... Andrea di Cione Arcangelo (c. ... Full descriptions of the elements of a Gothic floorplan are found at the entry Cathedral diagram. ... Events September 8 - Battle of Kulikovo - Russian forces under Grand Prince Dmitrii Ivanovich defeat a mixed army of Tatars and Mongols (the Golden Horde), stopping their advance at Kulikovo. ... Events May 19 - Capture of Paris by John, Duke of Burgundy September - Beginning of English Siege of Rouen Mircea the Old, ruler of Wallachia dies and is succeeded by Vlad I Uzurpatorul. ...

The walls are covered in alternate vertical and horizontal bands with many-colored marble from Carrara (white), Prato (green), Siena (red), Lavenza and a few other places. These marble bands had to repeat the decorations of the Baptistery and Giotto's belltower. There are two lateral door, the Doors of the Canonici (south side) and the Door of the Mandoria (north side) with works of art of Nanni di Banco Donatello and Jacopo della Quercia. The six lateral windows, notable for their delicate tracery and ornaments, are separated by pilasters. Only the four windows, closest to the transept, admit light; The other two are merely ornamental. The clerestory windows are round, a common feature in Italian Gothic. The floor of the church was laid in marble in the 16th century. Image File history File links Brunelleshi-and-Duomo-of-Florence. ... Carrara is a city in the Massa Carrara province of Tuscany, Italy, famous for the white or blue-gray marble quarried there. ... This page is about Siena, Italy. ... Nanni di Banco (c. ... Statue of Donatello outside the Uffizi, Florence Donatello (Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi) (1386 - December 13, 1466) was a famous Florentine artist and sculptor of the Early Renaissance. ... Jacopo della Quercia (c. ... Full descriptions of the elements of a Gothic floorplan are found at the entry Cathedral diagram. ...

During its long history, this cathedral has been the seat of the Council of Florence (1439), heard the preachings of Girolamo Savonarola and witnessed the murder of Giuliano de' Medici on 26 April 1478 (with Lorenzo the Magnifico barely escaping death). Girolamo Savonarola by Fra Bartolomeo, ca 1498 Girolamo Savonarola (Ferrara, then Duchy of Ferrara, September 21, 1452 – Florence, May 23, 1498), also translated as Jerome Savonarola or Hieronymous Savonarola, was a Italian Dominican priest and, briefly, ruler of Florence, who was known for religious reformation and anti-Renaissance preaching and...

Dome

The 45 m-wide dome had originally a wooden dome, built by Arnolfo di Cambio. The building of a stone cupola over the chancel posed many technical problems. There existed already a brick model from 1367 for the dome (as related in the "Life of Brunelleschi" by Antonio Manetti, ca. 1480)

In 1419 a competition was held to design a new dome (or cupola) for the cathedral. The two main competitors were Lorenzo Ghiberti (famous for his work on the "Gates of Paradise" doors at the Baptistery) and Filippo Brunelleschi. St Peters Basilica (topped with a lantern), Rome A dome is a common structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. ... Cupola of St Peters Basilica, Rome In architecture, a cupola consists of a dome-shaped ornamental structure located on top of a larger roof or dome, often used as a lookout or to admit light and remove stale air. ... Lorenzo Ghiberti on Gates of Paradise, Baptisterio, Florence self portrait Lorenzo Ghiberti (Florence, 1378 - Florence, December 1, 1455) was an Italian artist of the early Renaissance best known for works in sculpture and metalworking. ... Sculpture of Brunelleschi looking at the dome in Florence Santa Maria del Fiore, with dome designed by Brunelleschi Filippo Brunelleschi (1377 – April 15, 1446) was a great Florentine architect of the Italian Renaissance. ...

One obscure architect at the time even proposed to fill the Duomo with soil before the dome was built so that it could be built on top of the shaped dirt (it was not yet known how to build a dome with that much weight and magnitude). When asked how to get the dirt out, it was proposed that the city should fill the dirt with coins and the paupers would eventually empty the dome.

Brunelleschi drew his inspiration from double-walled cupola of the Pantheon in Rome. He constructed a wooden and brick model with the help of Donatello and Nanni di Banco (on display in the Museum Opera del Duomo). Brunelleschi won by a nose. His model served as a guide for the craftsmen, but were intentionally incomplete, as to insure his control over the construction. The Pantheon, Rome The Pantheon is a building in Rome which was originally built as a temple to the seven deities of the seven planets in the Roman state religion, but which has been a Christian church since the 7th century. ... Statue of Donatello outside the Uffizi, Florence Donatello (Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi) (1386 - December 13, 1466) was a famous Florentine artist and sculptor of the Early Renaissance. ... Nanni di Banco (c. ...

Dome

Brunelleschi's solutions were ingenious and unprecedented : the distinctive octagonal design of the double-walled dome, resting on a drum and not on the roof itself, allowed for the entire dome to be built without the need for scaffolding from the ground. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (960x1280, 578 KB) Summary View on the dome of Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore Own photo - photo made by Georges Jansoone on 12 October 2005 Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Santa Maria del Fiore Metadata This... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (960x1280, 578 KB) Summary View on the dome of Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore Own photo - photo made by Georges Jansoone on 12 October 2005 Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Santa Maria del Fiore Metadata This...

This enormous construction weighs 37,000 metric tons and contains over 4 million bricks. He made several models and drawings of details during the construction. Brunelleschi had to invent special hoisting machines and lewissons for hoisting large stones. These specially designed machines and brilliant masonry techniques were Brunelleschi's spectacular contribution to architecture. The ability to transcribe a circle within the double shelled wall makes the self-sustaining horizontal arch construction possible, since geometrically, a circular plan is needed for such an erection.

The dome also used horizontal reinforcements of tension chains of stone and iron - paving way to the imaginations of iron and steel structural reinforcements, such as reinforced concrete in later centuries.

Ghiberti, appointed coadjutator, mocked these plans and called them unfeasable. Brunelleschi, deeply offended, then pretended a sickness and left for Rome, giving the project in the hands of Ghiberti. But Ghiberti soon had to recognize that the whole project was beyond him. In 1423 Brunelleschi was back in charge and took over sole responsibility.

Work started on the dome in 1420 and was completed in 1436. The cathedral was consecrated by Pope Eugenius IV on 1436-03-25 (the first day of the year, according to the Florentine calendar). It was the first 'octagonal' dome in history (The Roman Pantheon, a circular dome, was built in 118-128 C.E. without support structures) to be built without a wooden supporting frame, and was the largest dome built at the time (it is still the largest masonry dome in the world). It had been one of the most impressive projects of the Renaissance. The Pope (from Greek: pappas, father; from Latin: papa, Papa, father) is the successor of St. ... Eugenius IV, né Gabriel Condulmer (1383 - February 23, 1447) was pope from March 3, 1431 to his death. ... Events April - Paris is recaptured by the French End of the Hussite Wars in Bohemia. ... March 25 is the 84th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (85th in leap years). ... The Pantheon, Rome The Pantheon is a building in Rome which was originally built as a temple to the seven deities of the seven planets in the Roman state religion, but which has been a Christian church since the 7th century. ... By region Italian Renaissance Spanish Renaissance Northern Renaissance English Renaissance French Renaissance German Renaissance Polish Renaissance The Renaissance, also known as Il Rinascimento (in Italian), was an influential cultural movement which brought about a period of scientific revolution, religious reform and artistic transformation, at the dawn of modern European history. ...

Brunelleschi's ability to crown the dome with a lantern was questioned and he had to undergo another competition. He was declared the winner over his competitors Lorenzo Ghiberti and Antonio Ciaccheri. His design was for an octogonal lantern with eight radiating buttresses and eight high arched windows (now on display in the Museum Opera del Duomo). Construction of the lantern was begun a few months before his death in 1446. Then, during 25 years, it got stuck and didn't make much progress due to alterations by several architects. Finally it was completed by his friend Michelozzo in 1461. The conical roof was crowned with a gilt copper ball and cross, containing holy relics, by Verrocchio in 1469. He had used a hoisting machine specially designed by Leonardo da Vinci. This brings the total height of the dome and lantern to 114.5 metres. This copper ball was struck by lightning on 17 July 1600 and fell down. It was replaced by an even larger one two years later. Stone lantern A lantern is a portable lighting device used to illuminate broad areas. ... A buttress (and mostly concealed, a flying buttress) supporting walls at the Palace of Westminster Three different types of buttress: diagonal, on the statues plinth; an ordinary buttress supporting a flying buttress, to the right of the statue; a small ordinary buttress to the right side of the picture... Michelozzo di Bartolommeo (1391 - 1472?) (sometimes called Michelozzo Michelozzi, although some sources say this is an error), Italian architect and sculptor, was a Florentine by birth, the son of a tailor, and in early life a pupil of Donatello. ... Categories: Artist stubs | 1435 births | 1488 deaths | Italian painters | Italian sculptors ... Leonardo da Vinci (Born April 15, 1452 in Vinci, Italy, and died in May 2, 1519 in Cloux, France) was an Italian Renaissance architect, musician, anatomist, inventor, engineer, sculptor, geometer, and painter. ...

The decorations of the drum gallery by Baccio d'Agnolo were never finished after being disapproved by no one less than Michelangelo. Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, commonly known as Michelangelo, (March 6, 1475 - February 18, 1564) was a Renaissance sculptor, architect, painter, and poet. ...

A huge statue of Brunelleschi now sits outside the Palazzo dei Canonici in the Piazza del Duomo, looking thoughtfully up towards his greatest achievement, the dome that would forever dominate the panorama of Florence. Only 150 years later would this dome be surpassed by Michelangelo's dome of Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City. Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, commonly known as Michelangelo, (March 6, 1475 - February 18, 1564) was a Renaissance sculptor, architect, painter, and poet. ... Interior view, with the nave of the Cattedra in the back St. ...

The building of the cathedral had started in 1296 with the design of Arnolfo di Cambio and was halted in 1469 with the copper ball on the lantern by Verrocchio. But the facade was still unfinished and would remain so for a long time.

Façade

Facade

The original façade, designed by Arnolfo di Cambio and usually attributed to Giotto, was actually began twenty years after Giotto's death. A mid-15th c. pen-and-ink drawing of this so-called Giotto's facade is visible in the Codex Rustici, and in the drawing of Bernardino Poccetti in 1587, both on display in the Museum of the Opera del Duomo. This façade was the collective work of several artists, among them Andrea Orcagna and Taddeo Gaddi. This original façade was only completed in its lower portion and then left unfinished. It was dismantled in 1587-1588 by the Medici court architect Bernardo Buontalenti, ordered by Grand Duke Francesco I de' Medici, as it appeared totally outmoded in Renaissance times. Some of the original sculptures are on display in the Museum Opera del Duomo, behind the cathedral. Others are now in the Berlin Museum and in the Louvre. The competition for a new façade turned out into a huge corruption scandal. The wooden model for the façade of Buontalenti is on display in the Museum Opera del Duomo. A few new designs have been proposed in later years but the models (of Giovanni Antonio Dosio, Giovanni de' Medici with Alessandro Pieroni and Giambologna) were not accepted. The façade was then left bare until the 19th century. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (960x1280, 692 KB) Summary Facade of the Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore; Florence, Italy Own photo - photo taken by Georges Jansoone on 12 October 2005 Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Santa Maria del Fiore Metadata This... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (960x1280, 692 KB) Summary Facade of the Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore; Florence, Italy Own photo - photo taken by Georges Jansoone on 12 October 2005 Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Santa Maria del Fiore Metadata This... Andrea di Cione Arcangelo (c. ... The Angelic Announcement to the Shepherds (1328-30) Fresco in Cappella Baroncelli Santa Croce, Florence Taddeo Gaddi (c. ... 1587 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. ... 1588 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. ... Bernardo Buontalenti was an architect in the Italian Renaissance who designed the crypt of the Basilica di San Lorenzo for the Medici family. ... Francesco I de Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (25 March 1541 – 19 October 1587) was the second Grand Duke of Tuscany, ruling from 1574 to 1587. ... I.M. Peis Louvre Pyramid: the entrance to the galleries lies below the glass pyramid The Louvre Museum (Musée du Louvre, pronounced in French) in Paris, France, is one of the largest and most famous museums in the world. ...

Scene with angels on a bronze door

In 1864 a competition was held to design a new façade and was won by Emilio De Fabris (1808-1883) in 1871. Work was begun in 1876 and completed in 1887. This neo-gothic façade in white, green and red marble forms a harmonious entity with the cathedral, Giotto's belltower and the Baptistery, but it is excessively decorated. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (960x1280, 620 KB) Summary Door of middle portal (detail) of the Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore; Florence, Italy Own photo - photo made on 12 October 2005 Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Santa Maria del Fiore Metadata... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (960x1280, 620 KB) Summary Door of middle portal (detail) of the Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore; Florence, Italy Own photo - photo made on 12 October 2005 Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Santa Maria del Fiore Metadata... 1864 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1876 is a leap year starting on Saturday. ... 1887 (MDCCCLXXXVII) is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar). ...

The whole façade is dedicated to the Mother of Christ.

The three huge bronze doors date from 1899 to 1903. They are adorned with scenes from the life of the Madonna. The mosaics in the lunettes above the doors were designed by Niccolò Barabino. They represent (from left to right): Charity among the founders of Florentine philantropic institutions, Christ enthroned with Mary and John the Baptist, Florentine artisans, merchants and humanists paying homage to the Faith. The pediment above the central portal contains a half-relief by Tito Sarrocchi of Mary enthroned holding a flowered scepter 1899 (MDCCCXCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1903 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... In architecture, a lunette (diminutive of French lune, moon) is a half-moon shaped space, either masonry or void. ... A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of a triangular section or gable found above the horizontal superstructure (entablature) which lies immediately upon the columns. ...

On top of the façade is a series of niches with the twelve Apostles with, in the middle, the Madonna with Child. Between the rose windowand the tympanum, there is a gallery with busts of great Florentine artists. The rose window in Bristol Cathedral, Bristol, England, at the western end of the nave. ... Tympanum may mean: The eardrum; or A sculpted panel that stands within the recessed area formed by a larger arch above the doors to a church or similar building, especially in Romanesque and Gothic architecture; or A single drum in the orchestral percussion section usually called timpani. ...

Interior

The cathedral is built as a basilica, with a nave and two aisles, forming a Roman cross. The nave and the aisles are divided by wide pointed arches with composite pilasters, dividing the nave into four square bays. The Basilica of Saint Peter is the largest church in Christianity and often used by the Pope. ...

Its dimensions are enormous: length 153 m (about 500 ft.), width 38 m (128 ft.), width at the crossing 90 m (almost 300 ft.). The height of the arches in the aisles is 23 m (75 ft.). The heigth from pavement to the opening of the lantern in the dome is also 90 m (300 ft).

Dante and the Divine Comedy

The Gothic interior is cavernous and gives an empty impression. The relative bareness of the church corresponds with the austerity of religious life, as preached by Girolamo Savonarola. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1018x825, 602 KB) Summary Dante and the Divine Comedy, by Domenico di Michelino Own photo - photo made on 13 October 2005 Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Santa Maria del Fiore Metadata This file contains additional information... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1018x825, 602 KB) Summary Dante and the Divine Comedy, by Domenico di Michelino Own photo - photo made on 13 October 2005 Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Santa Maria del Fiore Metadata This file contains additional information... See also Gothic art. ... Girolamo Savonarola by Fra Bartolomeo, ca 1498 Girolamo Savonarola (Ferrara, then Duchy of Ferrara, September 21, 1452 – Florence, May 23, 1498), also translated as Jerome Savonarola or Hieronymous Savonarola, was a Italian Dominican priest and, briefly, ruler of Florence, who was known for religious reformation and anti-Renaissance preaching and...

Many decorations in the church have been lost in the course of time, or have been transferred to the Museum Opera del Duomo, such as the magnificent cantorial pulpits (the singing galleries for the choristers) of Luca della Robbia and Donatello. The word Cantor can mean more than one thing: Cantor is another name for a Hazzan, a member of the Jewish clergy Cantor is the title of a member of a student society who is the main singer at a cantus Famous people named Cantor include: Eddie Cantor, singer & entertainer... Luca della Robbia (1400-1482) was a Florentine sculptor noted for his terracotta roundels. ... Statue of Donatello outside the Uffizi, Florence Donatello (Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi) (1386 - December 13, 1466) was a famous Florentine artist and sculptor of the Early Renaissance. ...

As this cathedral was built with funds from the public, some important works of art in this church honour illustrious men and military leaders of Florence :

• Dante and the Divine Comedy by Domenico di Michelino (1465). This painting is especially interesting because it shows us, apart from scenes of the Divine Comedy, a view on Florence in 1465, a Florence such as Dante himself couldn't have seen in his time.
• Equestrian statue of John Hawkwood by Paolo Uccello (1436). This almost monochrome fresco, transferred on canvas in the 19th c., is painted in terra verde, a color closest to the patina of bronze.

Equestrian statue of Niccolò da Tolentino

• Equestrian statue of Niccolò da Tolentino by Andrea del Castagno (1456). This fresco, transferred on canvas in the 19th c., in the same style as the previous one, is painted in a color resembling marble. However it is more richly decorated and gives more the impression of movement.

Both frescos portray the condottieri as heroic figures riding triumphantically. Both painters had problems when applying in painting the new rules of perspective to foreshortening : they used two unifying points, one for the horse and one for the pedestal, instead a single unifying point. Dante redirects here. ... Dante shown holding a copy of The Divine Comedy, next to the entrance to Hell, the seven terraces of Mount Purgatory and the city of Florence, in Michelinos fresco. ... Michelinos fresco Dante and his Work in the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore. ... Sir John Hawkwood (1320-1394) was an English mercenary or condottiere known to Jean Froissart as Haccoude and to Macchiavelli as Giovanni Acuto. ... Paolo Uccello. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (834x1224, 559 KB) Summary Fresco (transfered on canvas) of Niccolo da Tolentino by Andrea del Castagno; Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence, Italy Own photo - photo made on 13 October 2005 Licensing File links The following pages link to this file... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (834x1224, 559 KB) Summary Fresco (transfered on canvas) of Niccolo da Tolentino by Andrea del Castagno; Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence, Italy Own photo - photo made on 13 October 2005 Licensing File links The following pages link to this file... Our Lady of the Assumption with Sts Miniato and Julian (1450) Panel, 150 x 158 cm Staatliche Museen, Berlin Andrea del Castagno (c. ...

• Busts of Giotto (by Benedetto da Maiano), Brunelleschi (by Buggiano - 1447), Marsilio Ficino, and Antonio Squarcialupi (a most famous organist). These busts all date from the 15th and the 16th century.

Above the main door is the colossal clock face with fresco portraits of four Prophets or Evangelists by Paolo Uccello (1443). This one-handed liturgical clock shows the 24 hours of the hora italica (Italian time), a period of time ending with sunset at 24 hours. This timetable was used till the 18th century. This is one of the few clocks from that time that still exist and are in working order. Marsilio Ficino (also known by his Latin name, Marsilius Ficinus) (Figline Valdarno, October 19, 1433 - Careggi, October 1, 1499) was one of the most influential humanist philosophers of the early Italian Renaissance, astrologer, and a reviver of Neoplatonism who was in touch with every major academic thinker and writer of... Antonio Squarcialupi (March 27, 1416 – July 6, 1480) was an Italian organist and composer. ...

The church is particularly notable for its 44 stained glass windows, the largest undertaking of this kind in Italy in the 14th and 15th century. The windows in the aisles and in the transept depict saints from the Old and the New Testament, while the circular windows in the drum of the dome or above the entrance depict Christ and Mary. They are the work of the greatest Florentine artists of their times, such as Donatello, Lorenzo Ghiberti, Paolo Uccello and Andrea del Castagno. Strictly speaking, stained glass is glass that has been painted with silver stain and then fired. ...

"Christ crowning Mary as Queen", the stained-glass circular window above the clock, with a rich range of coloring, was designed by Gaddo Gaddi in the early 1300s.

Donatello designed the stained-glass window (Coronation of the Virgin) in the drum of the dome (the only one that can be seen from the nave).

Tomb of Antonio d'Orso by Tino da Camaino

The beautiful funeral monument of Antonio d'Orso (1323), bishop of Florence, was made by Tino da Camaino, the most important funeral sculptor of his time. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1280x960, 557 KB) Summary Tomb of Antonio dOrso, bishop of Florence, by Tino da Camaino (1323); Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence, Italy Own photo - photo made on 13 October 2005 Licensing File links The following pages link to this... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1280x960, 557 KB) Summary Tomb of Antonio dOrso, bishop of Florence, by Tino da Camaino (1323); Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence, Italy Own photo - photo made on 13 October 2005 Licensing File links The following pages link to this...

The monumental crucifix, behind the Bishop's Chair at the high altar, is by Benedetto da Maiano (1495-1497). The choir enclosure is the work of the famous Bartolommeo Bandinelli. The ten-panelled bronze doors of the sacristy were made by Luca della Robbia, who has also two glazed terracotta works inside the sacristy: Angel with Candlestick and Resurrection of Christ. Hercules and Cacus. ... Luca della Robbia (1400-1482) was a Florentine sculptor noted for his terracotta roundels. ... Terra cotta is a hard semifired waterproof ceramic clay used in pottery and building construction. ...

In the back of the middle of the three apses is the altar of Saint Zanobius, first bishop of Florence. Its silver shrine, a masterpiece of Ghiberti, contains the urn with his relics. The central compartment shows us one his miracles, the reviving of a dead child. Above this shrine is the painting Last Supper by the lesser-known Giovanni Balducci. There was also a glass-paste mosaic panel The Bust of Saint Zanobius by the 16th c. miniaturist Monte di Giovanni, but it is now on display in the Museum Opera del Duomo.

Many decorations date from the 16th century, under patronage from the Grand Dukes, such as the pavement in colored marble, attributed to Baccio d'Agnolo and Francesco da Sangallo (1520-26). Some pieces of marble from the facade were used, topside down, in the flooring (as was shown by the restoration of the floor after the 1966 flooding).

The last Judgment under the dome

At first, it was suggested that the interior of the 45 m-wide dome should be covered with a mosaic decoration to make the most of the available light coming through the circular windows of the drum and through the lantern. Brunelleschi has proposed the vault to glimmer with resplendent gold, but his death in 1446 put an end to this project, and the walls of the dome were whitewashed. Grand Duke Cosimo I de' Medici decided to have the dome painted with a representation of The Last Judgment. This enormous work, 3,600 square metres of painted surface, was started in 1568 by Giorgio Vasari and Federigo Zucchero and would last till 1579. The upper portion, near the lantern, representing The 24 Elders of Apoc. 4 was finished by Vasari before his death in 1574. Frederico Zucchero and a number of collaborators, such as Domenico Cresti, finished the other portions : (from top to bottom) Choirs of Angels; Christ, Mary and Saints; Virtues, Gifts of the Holy Spirit and Beatitudes; and at the bottom of the cuppola: Capital Sins and Hell. These frescoes are considered Zucchero's greatest work. But the quality of the work is uneven because of the input of different artists and the different techniques. Vasari had used true fresco, while Zucchero had painted in secco. Image File history File links Firenze-interno_duomo. ... Image File history File links Firenze-interno_duomo. ... Cosimo I de Medici in Armour by Agnolo Bronzino Cosimo I de Medici (June 12, 1519 – April 21, 1574) was the first Grand Duke of Tuscany, ruling from 1537 to 1574, during the waning days of the Renaissance. ... Giorgio Vasari (Arezzo, Tuscany July 3, 1511 - Florence, June 27, 1574) was an Italian painter and architect, mainly known for his famous biographies of Italian artists. ... Galileo portrait by Passignano Domenico Passignano (born Cresti or Crespi) (Florence 1559 - 1636) was an Italian painter of a late-Renaissance or Contra-Maniera style that emerged in FLorence towards the end of the 16th century. ... Fresco by Dionisius representing Saint Nicholas. ... the technique of painting in watercolors on dry plaster. ...

Crypt

Tomb of Filippo Brunelleschi

The cathedral has undergone difficult excavations between 1965 and 1974. The subterranean vaults had been used for the burial of Florentine bischops during the centuries. Soon the archeological history of this hughe area was reconstructed : remains of Roman houses, an early Christian pavement, ruins of the former cathedral of Santa Reparata and successive enlargements of this church. Close to the entrance, open to the public, is the tomb of Brunelleschi, as proof of the high esteem he was given by the Florentines. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1280x960, 368 KB) Summary Tomb of Flippo brunelleschi underneath the Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore; Florence, Italy Own photo - photo made on 12 October 2005 Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Santa Maria del Fiore Metadata This... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1280x960, 368 KB) Summary Tomb of Flippo brunelleschi underneath the Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore; Florence, Italy Own photo - photo made on 12 October 2005 Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Santa Maria del Fiore Metadata This...

Artists

Artists who have produced work for the cathedral include:

• Benedetto and Giuliano da Maiano (panelling in the sacristy)
• Andrea del Castagno (fresco of Niccolò da Tolentino on the north wall)
• Luca della Robbia (reliefs of the Resurrection and Ascension above the sacristy doors; work on the sacristy door with Michelozzo; choir loft, now in the Museo del Duomo)
• Domenico di Michelino (Dante Explaining the Divine Comedy on the north wall)
• Donatello (heads of a prophet and a sibyl on the south side of the exterior; choir loft, now in the Museo del Duomo)
• Davide and Domenico Ghirlandaio (mosaic of the Annunciation on the south side of the exterior)
• Michelozzo (work on the sacristy door, with Luca della Robbia)
• Nanni di Banco (relief of Assumption of the Virgin on south side of exterior)
• Paolo Uccello (decoration of west wall clock; fresco of Sir John Hawkwood on the north wall; two stained glass windows)
• Giorgio Vasari and Federigo Zuccaro (frescoes of The Last Judgement in the interior of the dome)

A sacristy is a room for keeping vestments (such as the cassock and chasuble) and other church furnishings, sacred vessels and church treasures. ... Our Lady of the Assumption with Sts Miniato and Julian (1450) Panel, 150 x 158 cm Staatliche Museen, Berlin Andrea del Castagno (c. ... Luca della Robbia (1400-1482) was a Florentine sculptor noted for his terracotta roundels. ... Michelinos fresco Dante and his Work in the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore. ... Statue of Donatello outside the Uffizi, Florence Donatello (Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi) (1386 - December 13, 1466) was a famous Florentine artist and sculptor of the Early Renaissance. ... An Old Man and with a Strawberry Nose (1480). ... Michelozzo di Bartolommeo (1391 - 1472?) (sometimes called Michelozzo Michelozzi, although some sources say this is an error), Italian architect and sculptor, was a Florentine by birth, the son of a tailor, and in early life a pupil of Donatello. ... Nanni di Banco (c. ... Paolo Uccello. ... Sir John Hawkwood (1320-1394) was an English mercenary or condottiere known to Jean Froissart as Haccoude and to Macchiavelli as Giovanni Acuto. ... Giorgio Vasari (Arezzo, Tuscany July 3, 1511 - Florence, June 27, 1574) was an Italian painter and architect, mainly known for his famous biographies of Italian artists. ... The text below is generated by a template, which has been proposed for deletion. ...

References

• Tim Jepson: The National Geographic Traveler, Florence & Tuscany, National Geographic Society, 2001. ISBN 90-215-9720-9.
• Rolf C. Wirtz: Kunst & Architektur, Florenz, Köneman, 2005. ISBN 3-8331-1576-9.
• Carlo Montrésor: The Opera del Duomo, Museum in Florence, Mandragora, 2000.
• Henry A. Millon (ed.): Italian Renaissance Architecture: from Brunelleschi to Michelangelo, Thames and Hudson, London, 1994. ISBN 0-500-27921-7.

Flag of the National Geographic Society The Meo Brothers Geographic Society was founded in the United States on January 27, 1888, by 33 men interested in organizing a society for the increase and diffusion of geographical knowledge. ... Species Mandragora autumnalis Mandragora officinarum Mandragora turcomanica Mandragora caulescens Mandrake is the common name for members of the plant genus Mandragora belonging to the nightshades family (Solanaceae). ... Thames & Hudson (also Thames and Hudson and sometimes T&H for brevity) are a publisher, especially of art and illustrated books, founded in 1949 by Walter and Eva Neurath. ...

External links

• The Florence Art Guide
• Walks in Florence

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