Florence
The Duomo stands out in Florence skyline
Florence, or Firenze in Italian is the capital city of the Tuscany region. Considered by many as the birthplace of Renaissance, Florence was a centre of medieval European trade and finance and one of the wealthiest cities of that era. In the foreground we see the Florence Cathedral (Italian: Duomo di Firenze). The world famous was dome designed by Filippo Brunelleschi. This photo was taken from the terrace of Villa Bardini a few minutes before sunset.
Baptistry of St John, an octagonal baptistry, stands across from Florence Cathedral and the Campanile di Giotto
The Baptistery is one of the oldest buildings in the city, constructed between 1059 and 1128 in the Florentine Romanesque style.
The Baptistery is crowned by a magnificent mosaic ceiling. It was created over the course of a century in several different phases.
Mosaic-covered interior of the octagonal dome
The Last Judgment, created by Jacobus and his workshop, was the largest and most important spiritual image created in the Baptistery. It shows a gigantic majestic Christ and angels with the instruments of the passion at each side
Front Facade of Florence Cathedral
Santa Maria del Fiore was built on the site of Florence's second cathedral dedicated to Saint Reparata; the first was the Basilica di San Lorenzo di Firenze whose first building was consecrated as a church in 393 by St. Ambrose of Milan. The ancient structure, founded in the early 5th century and having undergone many repairs, was crumbling with age and was no longer large enough to serve the growing population of the city. The new church was designed by Arnolfo di Cambio and approved by city council in 1294. Di Cambio was also architect of the church of Santa Croce and the Palazzo Vecchio. He designed three wide naves ending under the octagonal dome, with the middle nave covering the area of Santa Reparata. The first stone was laid on 9 September 1296, by Cardinal Valeriana, the first papal legate ever sent to Florence. The building of this vast project was to last 140 years; Arnolfo's plan for the eastern end, although maintained in concept, was greatly expanded in size. Work started on the dome in 1420 and was completed in 1436. The dome was designed by Brunelleschi.
Giotto's Campanile is a free-standing campanile that is part of the complex of buildings that make up Florence Cathedral on the Piazza del Duomo.
Vasari's fresco begun in 1568, and completed by Federico Zuccari in 1579.
It was suggested that the interior of the 45 metre 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 had 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 metres² of painted surface, was started in 1568 by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari 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. Federico Zuccari 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 cupola: Capital Sins and Hell. These frescoes are considered Zuccari'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 Zuccari had painted in secco.
