50 Interesting Duomo Florence Facts You Didn’t Know About

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Florence Cathedral, or formally Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore is among the most important creations of Renaissance architecture and one of the main symbols of Florence. It was started in the end of the 13 th century and its construction reflects the shifting tastes and ambitions as well as the technical innovations of the time in Italy. In this article, we’ll cover some of the most fascinating Duomo Florence facts you probably didn’t know about. The cathedral is not only the Duomo (its dome), but a complex: the Baptistery, the Campanile (bell-tower) of Giotto, the front, the crypt of the former church of Santa Reparata, art inside the cathedral, and centuries of ornaments.

What is the most impressive thing about the Duomo is that it lacked a standard wooden centering (support structure) in the construction of its dome and instead used new engineering during the time of construction. Its size alone, its ornament, and its very existence keep it a living monument, which ties us up with a variety of strands to the history of Florence: religious, civil, artistic, and technical.

Helpful Resources For Visiting Florence

Take advantage of the special discount offer by Qatar Airways to get the most economical flights to Florence. This deal has been personally tested and recommended.

It is essential to have travel insurance when traveling to Italy, and if you don’t have any, SafetyWing offers affordable plans that cover not only medical expenses but also other miscellaneous travel expenses.

You can rent a car in Florence with a special offer by Auto Europe, which can give you up to 25% off. Check out my Auto Europe review for more info.

For bus and train rides in Italy, use Busbud (for more info, check out our review), which offers up to a 10% discount on transportation bookings to and from Florence.

If you want to save money on accommodation, use our Booking special offer, which can save you up to 15% on all properties in town.

Don’t forget to obtain a visa if required. You can apply for one through Ivisa, and they will take care of all the necessary arrangements for you. For more information, you can also check out our iVisa review.

Now without further ado, let’s cover the 50 interesting Duomo Florence facts, starting with…

Historical Duomo Florence Facts

1. Construction of the cathedral began in 1296, under Arnolfo di Cambio. 
2. The old church, Santa Reparata, previously stood on the site; parts of it remain visible in the crypt. 
3. The cathedral took about 140 years to build (1296–1436) before the dome was completed. 
4. The dome itself was built between 1420 and 1436, to a design by Filippo Brunelleschi. 
5. Brunelleschi won the commission in 1418 via a competition; Lorenzo Ghiberti was one of the competitors. 
6. Upon completion in 1436, the building was consecrated by Pope Eugene IV. 
7. The façade (western front) seen today was not the original; what exists now is a 19th-century Neo-Gothic façade by Emilio De Fabris, finished in 1887. 
8. Earlier façades or designs existed but were dismantled or left incomplete over centuries. 

If you’re looking to visit the Duomo in Florence, you should have in mind that it’s usually super crowded. If you are looking to save some time, check out this skip-the-line guided tour of the Duomo.

Dimensions & Engineering

9. The cathedral is about 153 meters long. 
10. It is ~90 meters wide at the transept. 
11. The height from the floor to the base of the lantern on top of the dome is around 114.5 meters. 
12. The dome has a diameter of about 45.5 meters. 
13. It’s said to be the largest masonry dome ever built. 
14. The materials include brick (for much of the dome), marble (especially in the façade), and various stones. 
15. The walls are faced in polychrome marble panels (white, green, pink) characteristic of Tuscan church architecture. 
16. The dome is built with two shells—an inner and outer dome. 
17. There are stone ribs and internal chain-like tension elements that help distribute weight and resist outward thrust. 
18. Cracks in the dome have been observed over time, some dating back centuries; they open and close slightly with seasonal temperature changes. 

Art, Decoration & Interior

19. The interior has numerous stained glass windows—some designed by major Renaissance/late-Gothic artists (e.g. Donatello, Andrea della Robbia, Ghiberti). 
20. The large fresco inside the dome (on the interior) depicts The Last Judgment. Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari are key artists for that work. 
21. The main portal has bronze doors (from late 19th-to-early 20th century) and mosaics in the lunettes above—scenes involving Madonna, artisans, and more. 
22. In the interior are frescoed equestrian portraits of condottieri: Sir John Hawkwood (by Paolo Uccello) and Niccolò da Tolentino (by Andrea del Castagno). 
23. On the north wall above the main entrance: a large clock face painted by Paolo Uccello in 1443, with fresco portraits of prophets or evangelists; its time system was “hora italica”, a 24-hour clock that ended the day at sunset. 

Cultural/Symbolic/Religious

24. The full name Santa Maria del Fiore means “Saint Mary of the Flower.” The “Flower” refers to Florence’s symbol (the lily). 
25. The cathedral was capable of accommodating around 30,000 worshippers at its consecration. 
26. The building complex (cathedral, baptistery, bell tower) is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Historic Centre of Florence, designated 1982). 
27. The cathedral has been a stage for many artistic rivalries (Brunelleschi vs Ghiberti, etc.). 
28. The guild of wool merchants (Arte della Lana) played a significant role in funding and overseeing its construction. 

Visitor/Modern Aspects

29. Visitors can climb up into the dome (via many stairs) for panoramic views of Florence. 
30. The Opera del Duomo Museum holds many of the original sculptures, doors, and artworks, so as to protect them; replicas are often used on the building itself. 
31. The crypt under the cathedral displays remains from Roman Florence, earlier Christian buildings, and the earlier Santa Reparata church. 
32. The cathedral is still very much used for religious services and is the seat of the Archdiocese of Florence. 
33. The Last Judgment fresco in the dome was restored in the late 20th century (finished approximately in 1995). 

Lesser-Known / Quirky Duomo Florence Facts

34. Brunelleschi, before becoming the mastermind of the dome, trained partly as a goldsmith, clockmaker, and studied ancient Roman architecture, which gave him insights. 
35. To win the competition for the dome, Brunelleschi allegedly used the “egg trick”: he challenged others to stand an egg on its end; after they failed, he cracked its bottom slightly so it could stand, as a metaphor for finding clever solutions. 
36. The copper ball and cross on top of the lantern was designed by Andrea del Verrocchio. 
37. That copper ball was struck by lightning in 1600; it fell and was replaced. 
38. The original medieval façade was dismantled in 1587-88 under the Medici, judged out of fashion. 
39. Some statues originally intended for exterior niches were found to be too small to be seen properly from the ground, and so removed (or relocated). 
40. The cathedral’s design evokes a Latin cross floor plan, wide aisles, chapels, and apses; the three lobed (trilobate) apse is intended as a homage to the city of Florence (“city of flowers”). 

Engineering Challenges & Maintenance

41. Because no wooden centering was used under the dome, there was concern over how to build such a large structure without collapse; Brunelleschi’s design involved innovative scaffolding, machines, and unusual brick-laying pattern. 
42. The dome has experienced cracks since before its completion, possibly due to earthquakes or settling; over time various probes and reinforcement (iron chains or bands) have been considered or added. 
43. The cathedral’s dome and structure are sensitive to thermal changes (stone and brick expand/contract), causing small shifts. 

Famous Artists, Sculptures & Elements

44. Besides Brunelleschi, key architects or artists involved include Arnolfo di Cambio, Francesco Talenti, Giovanni di Lapo Ghini. 
45. The Baptistery’s famous Gates of Paradise, bronze doors by Lorenzo Ghiberti, face the cathedral. 
46. The interior contains a painting, Dante Before the City of Florence (by Domenico di Michelino, 1465), showing Dante and a view of Florence. 
47. The monumental crucifix behind the bishop’s chair (high altar) was made by Benedetto da Maiano in the 1490s. 

Inspirational & Legacy Facts

48. The dome has been studied and admired for centuries not only as a religious building but as an engineering masterpiece; many later domes drew on its example. 
49. The cathedral and its dome were central in the development of linear perspective, sculpture, and other Renaissance ideals in Florence, effectively helping define the Renaissance. 
50. Even today, the Duomo remains one of the most visited monuments in Italy and is a symbol of Florentine identity and pride. 

How did you like this list of the most interesting Duomo Florence facts? Did you know all of them before? Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.

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