Secrets Of The Cathedral Of Santa Maria Del Fiore In Italy

The Cathedral of Santa María del Fiore is one of the most spectacular man-made buildings on this planet. We are going to explore and discover the secrets of this magnificent temple, to dwell on its details, to know its peculiarities and, in short, to admire a wonderful temple in every way.

This construction represents an incredible sample of Gothic art at the dawn of the Renaissance and in the city that is considered the cradle of this movement, which marked the passage from the Middle Ages to modern times with a clear cult for the classicism of Greece and Rome.

As it cannot be otherwise, the Cathedral of Santa María del Fiore has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982, along with the rest of the historic center of Florence, a city of unique beauty in the world.

History of the cathedral of Santa María del Fiore

The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore was a symbol of the wealth of Florence, the capital of Tuscany, during the 13th and 14th centuries. Undoubtedly, one of the largest buildings in the Christian work and one of the most spectacular.

The Cathedral of Santa María del Fiore was built on the remains of the church of Santa Reparata, trying to emulate with it the incredible spectacularity that the neighboring cathedrals of Siena and Pisa displayed.

The church to be built would be one of the largest in Europe, surpassed by very few in the world. For this, the design project was entrusted to Arnolfo di Cambio, although his initial plans would undergo various changes.

During the 14th century, various events such as the death of Di Cambio, the Black Death or the patronage of the city’s wool guild led to the building of the temple at various speeds, remaining unfinished until the end of the 15th century.

The dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

One of the most spectacular parts of the Cathedral of Santa María del Fiore is undoubtedly the dome, whose work ultimately fell to the genius of the architect Filippo Brunelleschi, who carried out an immortal work.

Everything seemed against Brunelleschi, since the dome that was to crown seemed impossible to lift. However, the unprecedented solution was to raise a double-hulled octagonal work on a drum, so no scaffolding was required.

Finally, a huge dome of 4 million bricks crowned the cathedral at the end of the work in 1436, after more than 15 years to see the magnificent work completed.

The facade of the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

Another part that draws the attention of the Cathedral of Santa María del Fiore is its excellent façade. Originally designed by Arnolfo di Cambio, although it is attributed to Giotto, it was finished by others.

In fact, even a drawing by Giotto is preserved on the facade of this temple,  although  construction began 20 years after his death.

The facade was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and has a total of three bronze doors that were built several centuries later. However, none of the additions over time are out of place in this wonderful construction.

The interior of the cathedral of Santa María del Fiore

In such a beautiful place, you cannot miss an interior that really impresses with its magnificence. With a classical basilica plan in the shape of a Latin cross, it is more than 150 meters long by almost 130 meters wide.

The enormous size and height of the interior of the Cathedral of Santa María del Fiore offers an image of nudity  that corresponds to the trend of medieval austerity that was attributed to religious sites.

However, you can see works such as the Divine Comedy by Domenico di Michelino, pulpits by Della Robbia or Donatello, several equestrian statues of great sculptors such as Uccello and even the tomb of Brunelleschi.

Finally, we found a crypt in the deepest area where remains of Roman houses, Christian pavements, ruins of the Church of Santa Reparata and even tombs of the Florentine bishops appeared.

There is no doubt that the Cathedral of Santa María del Fiore, with its magnificence and mysteries, is one of the most incredible temples that man has been able to build.