Florence - Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

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pleasing. The white ribs that meet at the lantern clearly outline the contours of the red covering of the dome.

The streets behind the apse offer an impressive view of the marble mount that is the cathedral, with Brunelleschi's dome. At this point there is a gallery on the drum of the dome. This was built at the time of Michelangelo who was intensely critical of it, voicing the opinion that it looked like a "cricket cage".

In the pavement in front of the apse can be seen a marble slab marking the spot where on January 17th 1600 the gilded ball from the dome hit the ground and shattered after it had been struck by lightning. It was replaced by a larger one below the cross.

The lantern, too, was often a victim of lightning but was constantly repaired. Today it is protected by a modern lightning conductor. (Visitors may climb up inside the dome as far as the lantern; the stairs start from the left aisle.)

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marble everywhere - on the façade built in the medieval Gothic style, on the sides of the aisles leading to the nave, on the buttresses, the small side domes and the massive main dome. The alternating colors show rectitude and beauty, the two basic principles of Florentine art.

The exterior has an abundance of sculpted figures: on the top spandrel of the façade "God the Father", with, immediately below, busts of famous Florentine artists; below a hugh rose window "Virgin and Child" and statues of the apostles; below that in the niches of the four pillars are bishops of Florence and Pope Eugene IV who consecrated the church in 1436. The bronze doors have reliefs of Mary and allegorical figures of the Christian virtues.

A walk round the cathedral should include a look at the four portals. On the right-hand side near the Campanile is the Porta del Campanile, with "Christ giving a Blessing" in the gable and "Madonna and Child" in the lunette, both in the style of Andrea Pisano. Next comes the Porta dei Canonici with, above the "Porch of the Canons", a "Virgin and Child" by Lorenzo di Giovanni d'Ambrogio. Nearby are the memorials to the architects Arnolfo di Cambio and Brunelleschi and a stone with the inscription "Sasso di Dante" marking the spot where the poet is supposed to have watched the cathedral being built.

On the left side the "porta della Balla" (late 14th century) has a polychrome "Madonna and Child and two Angels". The twisted columns at the sides are supported by lions. Also on the left, the "Porta della Mandorla", the finest portal in the church, was designed by Giovanni d'Ambrogio and Nanni and completed by various artists (Donatello, Niccolò di Pietro Lamberti and Ghirlandaio). Above the door in the almond can be seen the Virgin borne up by angels (1421, by Nanni di Banco); in the lunette is a mosaic of the "Annunciation" by Domenico and Davide Ghirlandaio (1491).

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detract from the feeling of spaciousness (later additions were removed during restoration), while the sense of severity is heightened by the earthy hue of the stonework.

The ground plan of the cathedral is a Latin cross with a nave and two aisles; the space beneath the dome is enlarged by its extension into the three surrounding apses.

Despite its altogether austere decore, the interior has some rich and precious figures.

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high altar (by Baccio Bandinelli) and the crucifix (by Benedetto da Maiano; 1495-1497) are also of interest.

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drum was executed from designs by Ghiberti, Paolo Uccello and Andrea del Castagno.

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centuries then extended in the eighth and 11th centuries. The cathedral was originally built around the older church which was finally demolished in 1375, apart from part of the crypt of Santa Reparata which was excavated in 1965 and today serves as a museum.

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continued the building of the belfry in accordance with Giotto's plans but his successor, Francesco Talenti, deviated from the original design. The tower was completed in 1387.

The building is characterized by the harmony of its dimensions, the strength of the octagonal pillars, the delicate articulation of the intervening walls and the intricate alternation of the colors of the marble. It is decorated on the lowest story by two rows of panels containing allegorical bas-reliefs. Most of the hexagonal panels are by Andrea Pisano, who worked to Giotto's designs, and Luca della Robbia. They depict the life of Man, his work and his art.

The lozenge-shaped panels in the second row contain allegories of planets, virtues, liberal arts and sacraments.

The niches in the second story above these lozenges used to contain statues of saints, prophets and sibyls sculpted between 1300 and 1400 by Florentine artists (including Donatello). Today these are kept in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo. There are copies in some of the niches.

It is well worth while climbing the 414 steps of the Campanile for the splendid view of the city from the top.

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Niccolò di Piero.

Above the central door is a mosaic depicting the Coronation of the Virgin (c. 1300, by Gaddo Gaddi) together with the famous clock with hands that move anticlockwise. The heads of prophets in the corners were painted in by Paolo Uccello in 1443.

Right of the main portal is the Gothic tomb of Bishop Antonio d'Orso (d.1321) by Tino da Camaino (incomplete; various parts in the Museo Nazionale del Bargello, see Palazzo del Bargello).

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bronze door is also by della Robbia (with Michelozzo). Its ten panels depict Mary with the Infant Jesus, John the Baptist, Evangelists and early Fathers. The sacristy is decked out with wooden cupboards and a drinking fountain.

This sacristy is where Lorenzo the Magnificent took refuge in 1478 when he and his brother were attacked during a service in the cathedral on the day of the Pazzi conspiracy. Lorenzo managed to escape but his brother Giuliano perished.

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Opposite the second pillar is a fresco transferred on to canvas by Niccolò da Tolentina (1456). To the right of this is the equestrian figure of John Hawkwood (Giovanni Acuto in Italian), commander of the Florentine mercenary army, painted by Paolo Uccello (1436) to imitate sculpture. The next marble recess contains the statue of King David made for the facade by Bernardo Ciuffagni (1434).

Below the window is a painting by Domenico di Michelino glorifying Dante (1465), a late rehabilitation of the poet by the city that once sent him into exile.

The staircase that leads up to the dome starts from the point where the aisle joins the apse. There is a marvelous panoramic view from the lantern.

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Bonguida depicting the "Madonna and Saints" and "Annunciation and Saints".

In the pavement is Toscanelli's gnomon which since 1468 has been used for astronomical calculations such as the summer solstice, indicated by the sun's rays which, on June 21st, shine down through a conical hole in the lantern of the dome precisely on to this metal plate.

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Lorenzo di Credi's "Archangel Michael", and two terracotta candlesticks in the form of angels, also by Luca della Robbia.

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last pillar).

Next to it in a wooden recess is the statue of the prophet Isaiah by Nanni di Banco (1408) and a medallion of Brunelleschi. This is the work of Andrea Cavalcanti, known as Buggiano, who was the heir and favorite pupil of Brunelleschi.

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against the pillars supporting the drum are given in their own section on the statues of the apostles.

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and against the second pillar on the left stand St Andrew by Andrea Ferrucci and St Peter by Baccio Bandinelli. On the opposite side the third pillar on the right has St John by Benedetto da Rovezzano and St James the Less by Giovanni Bandini, and against the fourth pillar on the right are St Philip, also by Giovanni Bandini, and Vincenzo de Rossi's St Matthew.