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Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

Florence, Toscana, Italy

Cathedral of Santa Maria Del Fiore

The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore also known as the Duomo in Florence, is the large cathedral at the heart of the city. The Duomo has a beautiful facade made of white and colored marble. The Cathedral is topped by a large red dome. The building was built mostly in the 1300s, and took more than 100 years to complete. Inside, the Cathedral is large, and has some beautiful artwork.

Visiting

Inside the Duomo

Entrance to the Duomo is free. There is an archeology museum in the basement that can be accessed from inside. In the museum, you can see some of the archeological ruins of the previous church that once stood here. You can climb to the top of the Duomo and walk around on the outside for nice views of Florence. You can also walk up to the top of the tower on the South side of the Duomo for similar panoramic views.

The Bell Tower

The View from the top of the bell tower

It costs 6€ per person to climb the bell tower. There are 414 steps to the top with 3-4 rest points on the way. Each stop along the way has ledges to sit on, and a nice view. The stairs become more narrow the further up you go. The view from the top is quite nice. You can see all of Florence, as well as the surrounding hill sides.

Visiting Time

You can spend about 30 minutes inside the Duomo looking around. If you climb to the top of the tower or Duomo it will take about 45 minutes including time to enjoy the view.