Florence Cathedral
Florence Cathedral, formally the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, is the principal church of Florence and the seat of the Archdiocese of Florence. Begun in 1296 in the Gothic style to a design by Arnolfo di Cambio, the building took more than 140 years to complete and was structurally finished in 1436 with the consecration of Brunelleschi's dome.
The cathedral's most famous feature is that octagonal dome, engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi without the use of conventional centering, a feat that remains the largest masonry dome in the world. The exterior is sheathed in polychrome marble panels of green, pink and white, framed by Giotto's elegant bell tower and the octagonal Baptistery with its celebrated bronze doors.
A cornerstone of the Italian Renaissance and a symbol of Florentine civic pride, the cathedral complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site within the historic center of Florence. Its interior houses frescoes including Vasari and Zuccari's Last Judgment beneath the dome, and the climb to the cupola offers sweeping views over the Tuscan city.
- Annual visitors
- ≈ 5,000,000
- Location
- 43.7731, 11.2569
- Local time
- 00:33 (Europe/Rome)
🕘 Visiting hours
| Mon–Sat | 10:15–15:45 |
| Sun | Closed |
Cathedral interior free; closed Sundays and during religious celebrations. Dome, bell tower, baptistery ticketed separately.
✨ Saints & blessed venerated here
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Saint Zenobius Saint
First bishop and patron of Florence; relics in Ghiberti's bronze shrine beneath the high altar
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Saint Reparata Saint
Earlier cathedral on this site was dedicated to her; her crypt remains beneath the nave
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Saint Antoninus Saint
Archbishop of Florence, venerated locally and depicted in the cathedral's sacred art
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Saint Crescentius Saint
Deacon of St. Zenobius, depicted kneeling beside him in the cathedral's altarpieces
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Saint Eugenius Saint
Deacon of St. Zenobius, shown flanking the bishop in Giovanni del Biondo's altarpiece
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Saint Thomas Aquinas Saint
Depicted in Domenico di Michelino's famous fresco theme of theology and learning in the nave
Care & donations
Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore / Archdiocese of Florence
Tickets and donations via Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore (duomo.firenze.it)
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