The Basilica of Santa Maria del Fiore
This section details the Cathedral of Florence, Santa Maria del Fiore (St. Mary of the Flower). It is divided into four pages: two on the Cathedral itself, separated into Architectural Details of the 14th century and 19th century facades, and Architectural Scenics, Sculptures and Interiors. There are separate pages on Giotto’s Campanile (bell tower),and the Baptistry of St. John.
The Florence Cathedral was built between 1296 and 1461, and is capped by Brunelleschi’s magnificent Dome, a Renaissance masterpiece (until recently the largest dome in the world). Built between 1334-1359, the Campanile is a showpiece of Florentine Gothic architecture.
The Baptistry of St. John (Battistero di San Giovanni) is a Romanesque octagon which is one of the oldest buildings in the city. Built in the late 4th or early 5th c. (altered in the 6th c. and extensively rebuilt in the 11th c.), its dome is covered with magnificent 13th c. mosaics and the East Doors are the masterpiece of Renaissance bronze art: the Gates of Paradise.
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