Florence’s Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, known simply as the Duomo, dominates the city with its vast red-tiled dome. Construction began in 1296 under Arnolfo di Cambio, but the defining achievement came more than a century later, when Filippo Brunelleschi devised a way to build the enormous masonry dome without conventional wooden centering. Consecrated in 1436, the cathedral remains a landmark of Renaissance ingenuity.
The exterior is clad in white, green and pink marble, with an elaborate 19th-century Gothic Revival façade. Inside, the contrast is striking: the cathedral’s spacious interior is relatively austere, drawing attention to the architecture and to the vivid Last Judgment fresco painted inside the dome by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari. Look, too, for the painted equestrian monuments to the military commanders John Hawkwood and Niccolò da Tolentino.
Climbing the dome is a highlight of a Florence visit. The 463-step route passes between Brunelleschi’s two shells before emerging to views over the city’s terracotta rooftops. Reserve a timed dome climb well ahead, particularly in summer; the Brunelleschi Pass includes it, while other complex passes cover different attractions. Giotto’s Campanile is a rewarding alternative climb, with the advantage of putting the dome itself in your photographs.
Entry to the cathedral interior is free, though queues can be long; arrive early and check opening hours before visiting. The nearby Museo dell’Opera del Duomo is worth making time for after the cathedral: it holds original sculptures and the gilded panels of Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise, whose replicas stand on the Baptistery.