Duomo di Firenze

Florence Cathedral
(Duomo di Firenze)

Florence Cathedral, formally called the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore or more commonly, “the Duomo” is Florence’s striking beauty along the skyline. Completed and consecrated in 1436, the designer Arnolfo di Cambio was also the architect behind Florence’s Santa Croce and Palazzo Vecchio.

One of the best vantage points in the city, Piazzale Michelangelo, offers stunning panoramic views of the famous red-rooftop city of Florence and shows you just how big the Duomo is by comparison. It’s most notable feature is of course, the massive dome. After being under construction for over one hundred years by the 15th century, the cathedral lacked a dome. The structure required a dome higher and wider than any dome ever built and posed an engineering challenge without any external buttresses to keep it falling from its own weight. Filippo Brunelleschi, often considered a founding father of Renaissance, created an ingenious solution in the creation of this dome, taking inspiration from the Pantheon in Rome among other engineering feats of the time period. To this day, it is the largest masonry dome in the world. When you are visiting the area around the Duomo, be sure to find the statue of Brunelleschi, who is seen sitting down facing the dome – his greatest work.

The elaborate façade we see today is actually one of the newest parts of the entire cathedral. The original façade was dismantled in the 1500’s ordered by the Medici family, and due to a series of scandals, the façade was actually bare until the 19th century. A competition was held to design the modern façade, and the white, green and red marble design we see today was complete in 1887.

We offer VIP Skip the Line Access inside the cathedral with special access to the dome and its rooftop terrace, where you can enjoy stunning views of Florence unlike any other. We know your time in Florence is precious and not meant to be spent waiting in line, so with your skip the line ticket, you’ll stroll right past the often-hours long lines and through the massive bronze doors, where you’ll enjoy a guided tour inside – making this one of the hardest tours to secure in town. For exploring Florence on two wheels, we cruise around and make a stop at il Duomo on our Florence Bike Tour where you’ll see the cathedral lit up. Join us to experience Florence’s main attraction alongside a professional, English-speaking guide who will fill you in on all the fun facts and stories about the Duomo di Firenze that you won’t find in any ordinary guide book.