It’s visited by thousands of tourists each year.
Here, we explore the fascinating architecture of Florence Cathedral by examining its three key elements.
Its ambitious design proposed a large octagonal dome and wide nave that would require142 years of construction.
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The 67-year-old artist was namedMaster of the Worksin1334and focused his efforts on the bell tower.
Most noticeably is the geometric arrangement ofdifferent colored marble.
Giotto imported material from the surrounding towns, includingwhitemarble from Carrara,greenmarble from Prato, andredmarble from Siena.
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Pisano oversaw the construction of thelozengesdiamond-shaped panelsdepicting allegorical representations, andeight tall nicheson each side of the bell tower.
These would later house sculptures.
The bell tower was delayed again at Pisano’s death in 1348 and the outbreak of theBlack Plague.
View of Giotto’s Bell Tower (Photo: Thermos viaWikimedia Commons[CC BY-SA 2.5])
The completed bell tower measures85 meters in height(nearly 279 feet) and contains412 steps.
Instead, designers working on the Florence Cathedral soughtclassical monumentsfor ideas on how to distribute the dome’s weight.
Florentine engineer and architectFilippo Brunelleschi(c. 1377-1446) studied the Roman Pantheon and its large dome for inspiration.
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Although the schematics for these machines have been lost, Renaissance contemporaries likeGiorgio VasariandLeonardo da Vincimention their lasting influence.
The dome remains the largest brick dome ever constructed.
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