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Florence Cathedral

Church

Florence Cathedral

  • Florence
  • 3–4 hours for all Giotto Pass sites
  • 1 experience to book

Santa Maria del Fiore with Giotto's 414-step bell tower, the Baptistery, the Santa Reparata ruins and the cathedral museum.

Things to do at Florence Cathedral

Tickets

About Florence Cathedral

Florence's cathedral, Santa Maria del Fiore, was begun in 1296 and crowned by Brunelleschi's dome in the 15th century. Beside it stand Giotto's bell tower, clad in white, green and red marble, and the octagonal Baptistery of San Giovanni, where Dante was baptised.

Beneath the cathedral floor lie the excavated remains of Santa Reparata, the older church it replaced. Across the square, the Opera del Duomo Museum keeps the originals moved indoors for safety, including Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise and Michelangelo's Florentine Pietà.

Know before you go

  • Cover shoulders and knees; no hats, sandals or bare legs in the Baptistery.
  • Medium and large bags must be left at the luggage storage at Piazza Duomo 38/r before climbing.
  • Giotto's Bell Tower has 414 steps and no lift. It's under restoration scaffolding until about 2030 but stays open.
  • The Baptistery's vault mosaics are hidden by restoration scaffolding.
  • The cathedral closes on Sundays and during religious celebrations.