Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
by architect Emilio de Fabris to replace the original, which was torn down in the 16th cen-
tury.
After the visual wham-bam of the facade and dome, the sparse decoration of the cathed-
ral's vast interior, 155m long and 90m wide, comes as a surprise - most of its artistic
treasures have been removed over centuries according to the vagaries of ecclesiastical
fashion, and many are now on show in the Museo dell'Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore.
Scaling the 463 steep stone steps to the famous
dome
,
built between 1420 and 1436 to a
design by Filippo Brunelleschi, is highly recommended but should be avoided by those
who are unfit or claustrophobic. As you climb, snapshots of Florence can be spied through
small windows. The final leg - a straight somewhat hazardous flight up the curve of the
inner dome - rewards with an unforgettable 360-degree panorama of one of Europe's
most beautiful cities.
Equally physical is the 414-step climb up the 85m-high
campanile
, which was designed
by Giotto.
