Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The doors on the north side of the building were designed by Ghiberti when he was
young; he'd won the honor and opportunity by beating Brunelleschi in a competition (the
rivals' original entries are in the Bargello).
Inside, sit and savor the medieval mosaic ceiling, where it's always Judgment Day and
Jesus is giving the ultimate thumbs-up and thumbs-down.
Cost and Hours: €10 ticket covers all Duomo sights, also covered by Firenze Card, in-
terior open Mon-Sat 12:15-19:00 except first Sat of month 8:30-14:00, Sun 8:30-14:00, last
entry 30 minutes before closing, audioguide-€2, tel. 055-230-2885. The bronze doors are on
the outside, so they are always “open” and viewable.
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▲▲▲ Duomo Museum (Museo dell'Opera del Duomo)
The underrated cathedral museum, behind the church (at Via del Proconsolo 9), is great if
you like sculpture (parts may be closed for renovation during your visit). It holds many of
the original creations that defined the 1400s (the Quattrocento) in Florence, when the city
blossomed and classical arts were reborn. On the ground floor, look for a late Michelangelo
Pietà that was intended as his sculptural epitaph, and statues from the original Baptistery
facade. The museum also features Ghiberti's original bronze “Gates of Paradise” panels (the
ones on the Baptistery's doors today are replicas). While copies now decorate the exteri-
ors of the Duomo (cathedral) and Campanile (bell tower, called Giotto's Tower), the origin-
al sculptured masterpieces from both are now restored and displayed safely indoors at the
Duomo Museum. Upstairs, you'll find Brunelleschi's models for his dome, as well as Dona-
tello'sanorexic MaryMagdalene andplayfulchoirloft.Thoughoverlookedbymostvisitors
to Florence, this refurbished museum is a delight.
Cost and Hours: €10 ticket covers all Duomo sights, also covered by Firenze Card;
Mon-Sat 9:00-19:30, Sun 9:00-13:40, last entry 40 minutes before closing, one of the
few museums in Florence always open on Mon, audioguide-€5, Via del Proconsolo 9, tel.
055-282-226, www.operaduomo.firenze.it .
Tours: The audioguide costs €5. Guided English tours are generally offered daily in
summer for €3 (as they use volunteer guides, schedules vary—stop by or call to ask).
Nearby: If you find this church art intriguing, head to the left around the back of the
Duomo to find Via dello Studio (near the south transept), then walk a block toward the river
to #23a (freestanding yellow house on the right). You can look through the open doorway of
the Opera del Duomo art studio and see workers sculpting new statues, restoring old ones,
or making exact copies. They're carrying on an artistic tradition that dates back to the days
of Brunelleschi. The “opera” continues.
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