This morning we reunited with our fearless tour guide, Siro, to tackle Florence’s most notable buildings after touring the major museums three days ago. Needless to say, the Baptistry, Duomo (and accompanying museum) and Palazzo Vecchio did not disappoint.
Baptistery of St. John
The Baptistery was originally built in the 5th century, although the marble veneer is “only” 1,000 years old. You can still see the tile from 2nd century Roman houses underneath the current floor.
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
It is utterly impossible to do the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore justice through photos – it has to be seen in person to comprehend the sheer size and and the engineering genius it took to complete the structure.
Construction on the 500 foot long, 375 foot tall duomo started at the end of the 13th century, but came to a standstill in the early 1400s when no one could figure out how to build a dome to fully enclose the structure. So on August 19, 1418, a competition was announced for a design to complete the seemingly impossible task. Luckily for Florence – and the rest of the world – Filippo Brunelleschi submitted the winning plan.
His idea was to actually place not one, but two domes atop the cathedral’s 24-foot thick stone walls. The interior dome would have 16 interior ribs for support, while the exterior would have eight additional ribs which are visible from the outside. The architectural marvel was built in a mere 28 years. (For way more information than I’m capable of providing, read Ross King’s Brunelleschi’s Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture.)
The Crypt of Santa Reparata
Underneath the Duomo lies the Crypt of Santa Reparata, the site of a couple previous churches on the site dating back to the 5th century. You can also see Brunelleschi’s tomb, the altar from the previous church, centuries-old Roman mosaic tile that are still intact and for all you fundraisers out there – a list of prominent donors who helped construct the previous church.
Museo dell’Opera del Duomo
About 10 years ago, the stunning Museo dell’Opera del Duomo was opened to basically showcase all the items that had previously been stored in the “attic” of the Duomo and Baptistery. Here are just a few of the highlights.
Palazzo Vecchio
Palazzo Vecchio was first built in 1300s and added onto over the next couple of centuries. Let’s just say the Medicis weren’t hurting for money. It now serves as the town hall for Florence.
Pasta Making!
We booked a pasta making class to cap off our last full day in Florence. Amazingly, we were paired with a Philadelphia couple celebrating their 25th anniversary (Kara and I just celebrated number 26 in Milan) and their two daughters – one of whom is starting college in the fall to become a teacher. You can’t make this stuff up.
The food and wine were great – the former despite our best efforts – but the company was even better. Salute!
Sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo
There truly is no better view than to catch the sunset from the Piazzale Michelangelo high atop the hills above Florence. A great way to cap our last night in this beautiful city.
On the Road with the Ashbys 