A Visit to Florence’s amazing Cathedral
It is not true that the interior of the Duomo in Florence is spartan compared to the other churches. The interior was absolutely functional to both the religious and political requirements of an important city as Florence was in the Middle Ages.
The first stone was laid on Sept. 8th, 1296, by Arnolfo di Cambio. Sept. 8th is the day and month of the birth of the Madonna. The Duomo is dedicated to her and her son.
The Duomo was finished in the ’70s of 1400, about 170 years later, with the placement of the copper ball on Brunelleschi’s dome (or we should say Brunelleschi’s domes because the domes are 2, an interior dome and an outer dome).
The fresco decoration of the dome
The surface of the interior dome is the largest area decorated with a fresco… about 38.750 square feet.
(The vault of the Sistine Chapel, painted by Michelangelo, is about 5.920 square feet!!).
The stained glass windows
The interior of the Duomo receives daylight through 44 stained glass windows realized by excellent glaziers between 1300 and 1400 thanks to the drawings made by some of the most important artists such as Ghiberti, Donatello, Paolo Uccello.
Stronger together
The cathedral hosts a very significant example of how two different styles and techniques can even receive more strength from living side by side. I’m talking about the amazing mosaic with the Coronation of Mary by Gaddo Gaddi (early 1300) gladdened by painted Musical Angels by Santi di Tito (late 1500).
Do you still think that the interior of our cathedral is spartan?
