Florence: Duomo and Giotto’s Campanile
Apologies if you’re getting bored with all of my Florence posts: I took over 1000 photos during our 2 week trip (don’t worry I won’t be inflicting them all on you, I have other things to post about this year!). I just had such an amazing time, it’s the longest holiday I’ve taken for 7 years and we packed so much into it that I want to share with you!
The next couple of weeks will probably be Florence-overload so if you aren’t interested in my trip I hope you’ll bear with me until after that when posting will resume as normal.
Il Duomo di Firenze
Florence’s Duomo, a.k.a. Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, is the city’s cathedral which took over 150 years to build and was completed in 1436. It’s a magnificent structure faced with Italian marble panels in white, green and pink.
Located in Piazza del Duomo, the complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and also features a Baptistery (incorporating the famous “Gates of Paradise”) and a Campanile, or bell-tower.
The Duomo is open to visitors and you can descend to the crypt or climb to the terracotta-ed top of the dome itself, a height of 90m/295ft, for €8.
Giotto’s Campanile
The queues to climb to the top of the Duomo are usually enormous, so we opted to climb the Campanile instead (€6). The tower stands marginally smaller at 84.7m/277.9ft but to save time and money we really weren’t bothered, and we quite liked the idea of being able to see the Duomo from high up instead of being stood on it.
The climb took us around 30 minutes. The Campanile is separated into 4 platforms, which provide welcome respite from the dark, narrow staircases and also allow people who may have a fear of heights the chance to decide how far up they’d like to go rather than having to go right up to the top.
It can get quite breezy up there, and despite my sulking about my hair getting knotty it was actually quite nice as the climb really does get you warmed up (especially in Florence’s bright summer sunshine!).
Of course, the views make the trek so worthwhile. They are absolutely stunning.
Your Florence posts are not at all boring! I love all the gorgeous photos and the cute outfits you wore! Keep ‘em coming!x :-)
Wow, thank you for sharing these photos from your trip! I’d love to visit there someday! The buildings look so majestic! xoxoxoo
I say – bring it on! I LOVE Firenze!!! I completed my last year of college there and have been back a few times… would love to this summer bit can’t so I will enjoy living vicariously through you!
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Looks like a fabulous trip! Absolutely gorgeous pictures.
Omg the view is absolutely amazing. I am so jealous, I am dying to go on a proper holiday but it doesn’t seem like its going to happen this summer. Haha I really don’t mind the overload of Florence pictures, I love seeing people’s holiday destinations. I hope you had a lovely time :)
Gorgeous location and fantastic photos. I would love to visit one day :-)))