· 05/20/2016
Any trip to the ancient cities of Italy is impossible without visiting main square and the cathedral rising on it. The cathedral built in Florence, called Santa Maria del Fiore (Italian: La Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore), attracts tourists unforgettable experience. Unlike similar structures, in this temple (duomo) there is no feeling of monumentality pressing on visitors. Within its walls, Gothic architectural traditions and techniques characteristic of the early Renaissance merged.
The need to build a new Catholic cathedral arose in Florence at the end of the 13th century. The rapid growth of industry led to the fact that the city's population increased rapidly. Therefore, the old temple of Santa Reparata, built on the site of an ancient Roman church, was not able to accommodate all the parishioners. In addition, the cathedral, which had stood for about nine centuries, became dilapidated and began to gradually collapse. The city elite was also interested in the construction of a new religious building, since there was an opportunity to surpass its eternal competitors - Pisa and Siena.
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore: architect.
The development of such a responsible project was entrusted to the architect Di Cambio, who saw his brainchild in the form of a temple, reminiscent of a Latin cross in outline. The author's plans were so grandiose that the pre-existing church was entirely located in the middle nave of the future cathedral. To lay the symbolic first stone in the foundation of the cathedral in Florence in September 1296, a papal envoy, Cardinal Pietro Duraguerra, specially arrived from the Vatican. Unfortunately, after the death of the architect, who managed to erect most of the walls of the temple, there was a 30-year break in the construction of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.
Soon the work was headed by Giotto di Bondone, who not only continued construction, but also developed a design for the bell tower of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, and also created a concept for the external design of the lower tier of the temple. However, the premature death of the architect and the subsequent plague epidemic slowed down the work.
Facade and dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence.
In 1349, construction resumed again, and by the beginning of the 15th century, the architects faced the problem of constructing a dome. The dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore was designed by the architect Filippo Brunelleschi. He not only carefully calculated all the parameters of the original octagonal dome, but also designed and assembled several mechanisms to facilitate its assembly. In addition, Brunelleschi developed a structure that gives rigidity to the dome, which weighs more than 37,000 tons. Work on the dome was completed in 1461, and the Pope himself came to consecrate the completed Florence Cathedral.
Final exterior finishing Italian temple completed only in late XIX centuries under the leadership of the architect Emilio de Fabris. He used marble slabs to cover the façade. various shades white, green and pink colors, symbolizing the colors of the Italian flag. The main decoration of the central entrance was a bas-relief depicting Jesus Christ in infancy, seated on a throne surrounded by 12 preachers. Above this composition there is a huge window with openwork binding.
Interior decoration and decoration of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence.
The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Italy amazes visitors with its external splendor. Despite the fact that the interior design is in complete contrast to the lace decor of the exterior, it attracts with its laconicism. He can safely be considered an example of high morality. On the vaults of the Florence Cathedral you can see frescoes dating back to the 15th century, which depict famous citizens of Florence and people who made an invaluable contribution to the construction.
Visitors' attention is drawn to the still working antique clock created in the mid-15th century by the master Uccello. The unusual thing about this chronometer is that the hands move in the opposite direction, and the dial has 24 divisions.
Not only pilgrims, but also numerous tourists can venerate the relics of Zenobius of Florence, discovered in the ruins of the Church of Santa Reparata. You can't miss the amazing stained glass windows of the Florence Cathedral that adorn the pointed arches of the naves. They depict the acts of the Old Testament saints and the New Testament martyrs. But the greatest admiration is caused by the multi-tiered painting of the dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, made in the 16th century by the artists Vasari and Zuccari. She depicts scenes from Last Judgment and, beginning on the lower rings with colorful pictures of deadly sins, ends on the upper tiers with images of the Mother of God and angels.
Bell tower of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Giotto's bell tower).
One of the main elements of the complex of the Florence Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is the duomo bell tower. It is made in the Gothic style, and its height is 85 meters. As experts say, its purpose is not so much functional as aesthetic. The architect Giotto began building it in 1334. Giotto lived only to see the start of this grandiose construction; at the time of his death, only the first floor of the belfry was built. Later the work was continued by Andrea Pisano and Alberto Arnoldi, and they owned the bas-reliefs and marble compositions. The construction of the bell tower was completed in 1359 by Francesco Talenti, who gave the building its current appearance.
At the top of the bell tower of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence there is an observation deck, to which 400 steps lead. Tourists willingly climb them to view the city from the highest point.
Florence Baptistery.
The famous Florence Baptistery, part of the complex of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Italy, also attracts tourists. It is dedicated to St. John the Baptist and is the oldest building, rising on Cathedral Square in Florence. Its construction dates back to the 5th century, and the building acquired its current appearance at the turn of the 11th-12th centuries. The mosaic decorating the vault of its dome was made in the 14th century. The doors of the Florence Baptistery, which lock the entrances, are genuine works of art. They are also called the Gates of Paradise of the Florence Baptistery. The oldest of them hang at the southern entrance and consist of 28 panels, on which bas-relief images depicting the stages life path John the Baptist. The bas-reliefs of the northern entrance gate depict scenes from the New Testament. But the greatest fame belongs to the eastern gate, consisting of ten tablets with bas-reliefs from biblical stories. They are called the "Gates of Heaven". This epithet was given to them by Michelangelo, who appreciated Ghiberti’s creation.
Museum of the Florentine Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.
The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence has a museum. It opened in 1891 in the former studio of the architect Filippo Brunelleschi. Here you can see design drawings and models of the dome, made by the hands of the master himself. But the highlight of the exhibition are the sculptures of the 14th-16th centuries on display. All of them used to decorate the buildings of the temple, the bell tower or the Florentine Baptistery, but were replaced by copies, and the originals were preserved for posterity.
For those tourists who wish to explore the city of Florence from a bird's eye view, there are two observation platforms located on the bell tower and on the famous dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.
Interesting facts about the Florence Cathedral:
- The Florence Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore can accommodate about 90 thousand people at a time for services.
- The architect Brunelleschi, when creating his dome on the duomo, followed the laws of astronomy. Therefore, every year at noon on June 21, a ray of sunlight penetrating through the lantern tower on the dome falls on a medallion built into the floor of the cathedral.
- The method of constructing Brunelleschi's dome is a compulsory discipline in the curriculum of architectural universities in Italy.
- To climb to the observation deck of the dome, you need to climb 463 steps.
Santa Maria del Fiore is a cathedral located in Piazza Duomo. It is one of the buildings dating back to the Florentine Quattrocento era. The temple is a pearl of world architecture and the main attraction of Florence. Excursion to the Duomo: independently and with a guide.
The 90-meter dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is crowned with a lantern tower. It is a landmark for tourists lost on the Florentine streets. It is impossible not to notice the bright red tiled dome; the façade made of colored marble also attracts the eye (look closely at it, and its palette will remind you of the Italian flag).
The cathedral is so majestic that it makes you admire the skill of the architects and think about the innermost, and at the same time it does not overwhelm you with monumentality. Since the 13th century, the Duomo Cathedral has been a symbol of the greatness of Florence and at the same time a reminder to the envious cities of Siena and Pisa of its “prosperity” and superiority.
Excursion to the Duomo of Florence and other routes
Santa Maria del Fiore - Italian long-term construction
By the end of the 13th century, the Florentine temple of Santa Reparata could no longer accommodate all the parishioners, and its dilapidated facade did not correspond to the then status of the city - strong and prosperous. The dilapidated cathedral was demolished, and in its place the construction of a basilica began, which “cannot be surpassed either technically or spiritually.” It is unlikely that the city authorities, who ordered the construction of such a majestic vaulted temple, imagined that the construction would drag on for six long centuries, and that 5 Italian architects, both unknown and already famous for their masterpieces outside of Florence, were destined to work on it.
Facade above central entrance to the Florence Cathedral
Santa Maria del Fiore was turned into an integral sign of the era by the Tuscan architect and builder Arnolfodi Cambio. The temple owes its octagonal base to him (at that time, mostly “square” cathedrals were built). The enormous scale of construction is evidenced by the fact that the middle nave of the Duomo occupied the entire area previously occupied by Santa Reparata!
Unfortunately, construction, which began in 1296, was interrupted due to the death of Di Cambio. In six years, under his leadership, the lower tier of the three-nave basilica was erected and the foundation of the future bell tower was laid. Construction resumed only 30 years later under the leadership of the great Giotto. The master worked slowly: he spent a long time developing construction plan campanile (only its first tier is being built), created detailed sketches of the bas-reliefs of the facade of Santa Maria del Fiore. In 1337 Giotto dies, life in Florence comes to a standstill due to an outbreak of plague.
In the 15th century, the leisurely construction of the basilica was continued by Giovanni d'Ambrogio. He decorates every facet of the basilica with large round windows, but neither he nor the architects working with him were able to figure out how to build the domed ceiling.
Campanile - part of the Duomo complex in Florence
The city authorities announced a competition to design the ideal dome. Its participants proposed absolutely fantastic ideas, but the winning project was the project of an architect with engineering inclinations, Filippo Brunelesschi.
He proposed erecting a hollow dome, which was not supposed to have a single wooden support at its core. The frame was made of 24 vertical ribs and 16 auxiliary horizontal rings. Eight groups of masons worked on the masonry of the dome at once. Art historians calculated that they needed up to 6 tons of materials per day. Of interest is not only the dome ceiling, but also the type of masonry. The masons did not place the bricks horizontally, but with an inward slope. It took the craftsmen almost 50 years to build the 37-ton dome of the Duomo.
Dome of Santa Maria del Fiore from a nearby street
On March 25, 1436, the basilica was consecrated by Pope Eugene IV. He climbed to the very top of the dome and from above blessed both Santa Maria del Fiore and Florence. True, the original facade, the contemplation of which is breathtaking today, did not exist then. Exterior decoration began only in 1876. Then the facade was decorated with polychrome facing marble, the colors of which were reminiscent of the palette of the Italian flag. At the same time, the arches of the facade were decorated with frescoes and relief compositions related to the life of the Virgin Mary.
Thus, above the central entrance you can see a bas-relief with the infant Christ on a throne with the Virgin Mary. Around him are statues of twelve preachers. Above the large openwork window you can see medallions with images of famous Florentines.
Interior of the Duomo in Florence - what to see
The interior of the Florence Cathedral is modest and laconic. In Santa Maria del Fiore there is no huge amount sculptures and bas-reliefs, but there is still something to see:
- Compositional Gothic elements(pilasters on the walls, arches, galleries);
- Uccello watch. A unique artifact for the Catholic Cathedral, interesting at least because the clock dial is divided into 24 parts, and the hands move in the opposite direction. The last hour of the day on this watch coincides with the time of sunset, so watchmakers have to constantly adjust this medieval miracle of technology. For seven centuries, the course of this clock “guided” the life of the Florentines: when it struck 24 times, peasants working in the fields finished their work and hurried to the city gates; At the “hour of mercy,” meetings began between townspeople who cared for the hungry and suffering.
- Relics of saints. Many martyrs of Christianity rest under the arches of Santa Maria del Fiore. Among them was the first Florentine bishop - St. Zenobius. It is believed that he had the gift of resurrecting life of the dead. According to the life of the saint, when he was being carried to the cathedral for burial and the coffin accidentally touched a withered elm, the tree immediately became covered with leaves. A column installed next to the baptistery reminds of this event. The relics of Zenobius are kept in a bronze urn under the main altar.
- Multi-tiered dome with the image of the Last Judgment. The total area of the painting is 3,600 m², which is ½ a football field. The frescoes are located in five tiers, and they reflect both images of Jesus, the Mother of God and the saints, the Elders of the Apocalypse, and painted masters - Vasari and Zuccari with their family, the customer of the painting - Cosimo I, and even the French king.
- Mural monument to condottiere John Hawkwood, who led the army of Florence. Florence owes its independence to the military talent of the mercenary. The city authorities did not allocate money for the real monument, but they ordered a fresco from Uccello, in which the witty master depicted the never-created equestrian monument to the condottiere. The dimensions of the fresco are amazing - 732 × 404 cm.
Visit to the Baptistery and Campanile of Giotto
To enter the Duomo Museum, as well as visit the observation decks and the Baptistery (where the Florentine poet Alighieri Dante and other well-known people were baptized), you can buy a single ticket. Its cost is 10 euros.
Back in the 5th century, on the site of the future temple, the Church of St. Reparata was built, who suffered martyrdom in the 3rd century. Together with Saint Zenobius, the martyr became the patroness of Florence. Due to imperfect construction technologies, by the 13th century the cathedral was simply falling apart from old age, and besides, it could no longer accommodate everyone who wanted to attend the service. The main cathedrals of Siena and Pisa experienced the same problems, and in these cities the construction of new, more spacious churches began. Florence, always competing with its neighbors, immediately joined the race. The project was commissioned by Arnolfo di Cambio, who by that time had already built the Basilica of Santa Croce, and later added the Palazzo Vecchio, the city hall, to his masterpieces.
The architect designed a building consisting of three naves-branches under an octagonal dome. The central nave rested on the foundations of the Church of St. Reparata. The first stone of the future temple was solemnly laid by the papal envoy Valerian in 1296. Until 1310, construction was carried out energetically, then di Cambio died, and the pace slowed down sharply for 30 years. Santa Maria del Fiore would have suffered the same fate as the cathedrals of Pisa and Siena, which were never completed if not for a suspiciously timely discovery. The remains of Saint Zenobius, the city's first bishop, were discovered in the ruins of Santa Reparata. Sponsors inspired by the miracle were immediately found - a guild of merchants selling wool. They hired the already popular Giotto. In the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, he continued the implementation of di Cambio's project, and nearby he built an unusual bell tower with bright marble cladding. After Giotto's death, the master's ideas were embodied by his assistant Andrea Pisano - until the plague pandemic swept across Europe. When the continent came to its senses after many deaths, the work was carried out by lesser-known specialists.
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in the 15th century
Only by 1418 did the builders figure out the main building - all they had to do was build the dome. At the same time, the city authorities announced a competition to renovate the doors of the nearby 12th-century baptistery. Lorenzo Ghiberti won the competition; the bronze doors of the baptistery became the best in the master's career. Filippo Brunelleschi participated in the competition with him, but lost, but later he was allowed to take part in a more ambitious project - the construction of a dome over the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Construction began in 1420. On March 25, 1436, the cathedral was consecrated by Pope Eugene IV. The date was not chosen by chance: according to the Florentine calendar until 1750, the Annunciation at the end of March was the day of the beginning of the new year.
History of the external decor and interior of the church
The façade of the building was decorated from the 15th to the 19th centuries, and the floor was laid with marble tiles in the 16th century. The finishing material was taken from the best Italian deposits: white marble was brought from Carrara, green marble from Prato, red marble from Siena. The interiors and facades were decorated with sculptural works by Donatello and other Florentines. Paolo Uccello, Donatello, and Gaddi were invited to decorate the stained glass windows. Continuous construction work did not interfere with the vibrant church life. In the 15th century, the 17th Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church took place in the Church of Santa Maria del Fiore, when Western theologians unsuccessfully tried to enter into an alliance with the Orthodox. Savonarola gave sermons within its walls; here the rebels killed brother Lorenzo the Magnificent and almost stabbed the duke himself to death.
Architectural features of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
The grandeur of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, reaching 153 m in length, 38 m in width, and 90 meters in the cross part, is amazing. The height of the arches of the building is 23 m, the height of the cathedral together with the dome and cross is 114.5 m. Today's temple is a spectacular building with rich decor, the visual center of Florence, but contemporaries perceived it differently. Every new stage construction was a discovery in the history of architecture. Arnolfo di Cambio achieved unprecedented dimensions, Giotto abandoned medieval proportions and introduced the first elements of the Renaissance into the project, Brunelleschi created a huge dome lined with bricks without the use of a complex scaffolding system.
The 19th-century architects who completed the facade of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, on the contrary, sought to stay within the framework of tradition and work in harmony with the old masters.
Facade and main entrance
The design of the facade is attributed to Giotto, although in fact the decoration work began two centuries later. This is a collective work of several masters, including Andrea Orcagna and Taddeo Gaddi. The construction of the entrance part of the temple was extremely slow; in the end, the Tuscan Duke Francesco I ordered Bernardo Buontalenti to completely dismantle the finished wall, since it did not correspond to the Renaissance ideas of beauty. Some of the sculptures that originally adorned it later ended up in the museum behind the cathedral, and some - in the Berlin Museum and the Louvre. The misadventures of the front wall did not end there: contractors and city authorities quarreled among themselves over money, and until the 19th century, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore stood bare, until Emilio de Fabris began designing it. He created a neo-Gothic facade of white, green and red marble dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Colleagues generally approved of the work, although some considered the main entrance to the cathedral to be overly decorative.
In the front part of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, visitors see three massive bronze doors by Augusto Passaglia, installed at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. and decorated with scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary. The semicircular lunettes above the entrances are lined with mosaics designed by Nicolo Barabino, a religious artist XIX century. According to the tradition of the Renaissance, he included in the subjects of the mosaics not only the figures of Christ, Mary and John the Baptist, but also images of Florentine artists, patrons of the arts, scientists and merchants. A bas-relief by his contemporary Tito Sarrocchi - the Virgin Mary enthroned with a scepter decorated with flowers - is located on the pediment of the central door. At the top of the facade there is a series of niches with 12 apostles, in the center - the Madonna and Child. At the very top of the building, between the rose window and the triangular tympanum, busts of great Florentine artists are displayed.
Dome of Santa Maria del Fiore
The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore went without a dome for more than a hundred years after construction began. There were several reasons for the delay: a banal lack of funds, problems with materials and, finally, most importantly, no one knew how to build a dome of such a size that it would not collapse and kill the builders and parishioners. Gothic semi-arches, which took on part of the weight, were considered obsolete by this time. The architects wanted to achieve the simplicity and lightness of the dome of the Roman Pantheon, made of cement using lost technologies. Brunelleschi studied the experience of antiquity, but came to the conclusion that there would not be enough wood reserves from all over Tuscany to develop forests. Based on his own intuition, he decided to use chain arches made of stone and iron, tightly holding the octagonal dome. On the internal ribs of the dome, recesses were installed for platforms that replaced scaffolding. The facing bricks were also laid unconventionally, in a herringbone pattern, otherwise the parts would fall down until the mortar set. In total, the builders needed 4 million bricks; the architect invented a special machine to lift them to the dome. After Brunelleschi's death, all that remained was to complete finishing work. At the top of the dome was placed a copper ball from Verrocchio's workshop. It is believed that an apprentice named Leonardo da Vinci took part in its production.
Cathedral interior
Many decorative elements were lost over time or moved to the cathedral museum, including the choir pulpits by Donatello and Luca della Robbia. Some frescoes in the 19th century, in order to avoid loss, were transferred to canvases, like the image of Dante reading before Florence " Divine Comedy", brushes of Domenico di Michelino. Outstanding funerary images are located inside the cathedral - these are the picturesque equestrian statues of the condottieri Niccolò Tolentino by Andrea del Castagno and John Hawkwood by Paolo Uccello. Above the main entrance is a liturgical clock by Paolo Uccello with 24 numbers on the dial.
The walls are decorated with 44 stained glass windows of the 14th-15th centuries. One of the oldest, with the image of Christ crowning Mary, by Gaddo Gaddi, is located directly above the clock. Only one thing visible from the nave stained glass window Donatello's work dedicated to the coronation of the Virgin. The dome, according to Brunelleschi's plan, was to be covered from the inside with gilding, but then they decided to save money and limit themselves to whitewashing. Later, its surface was painted by a team of artists, including Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccaro, using various techniques.
Crypt of the cathedral
Long lasting archaeological excavations 60-70s The twentieth century showed how the Cathedral of Santa Reparata with its early medieval mosaic multi-colored floor and Santa Maria del Fiore successively succeeded each other. In the crypt, underground of the cathedral, is the simple tomb of Filippo Brunelleschi. In addition to the architect, Zenobius of Florence, the first bishop of Florence, Conrad II, the medieval king of Germany and Italy, Giotto, who became the first figure of the Proto-Renaissance, and several medieval popes are buried in the temple. By the way, the legend about Giotto’s burial in the cathedral has persisted since the artist’s death, but his remains have never been found, like the graves of Arnolfo di Cambio and Andrea Pisano. Since 1974, the crypt has been open for paid visits.
Tourist Information
Entrance to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is free, through the right door of the central facade, access is open from Monday to Friday from 8.30 to 19.00, on Saturday from 8.30 to 17.40. In fact, the schedule is conditional, depending on the routine church services, and from the weather - when strong wind Climbing the dome is prohibited. It is recommended to check the time of your visit on the official website of the Duomo Museum. Wheelchair users can enter the cathedral with right side buildings. All amenities: toilet, wardrobe, cafe - are located in the museum.
Paid sightseeing
A visit to the dome and crypt-crypt is paid - a complex ticket costs 15 euros, for children 6-11 years old - 3 euros. It gives the right, within 6 days from the date of purchase, to explore the sights of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the bell tower to the right of the temple, the baptistery in front of its main entrance and the museum behind it. The ticket is valid for 48 hours from the moment of admission to the first object; you cannot inspect the same thing twice. To climb the 463-step staircase to the dome, you need to book a time in advance. If you don’t arrive on time, you can’t reschedule your visit - there are too many people who want to be at the best observation deck in Florence.
How to get there
Finding the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is not difficult, because it is the most impressive building in historical center Florence. To get there from Santa Maria Novella station, exit via Panzani and then turn onto via Cerretani. From Florence airport to the station you can take the Volainbus shuttle, which runs from 5.30 to 0.30 (from 5.30 to 21.30 buses depart every half hour, from 20.30 to 0.30 - once an hour; travel time is about 20 minutes, a ticket costs 6 euros). If you are leaving from remote areas of the city, you can use buses No. 6, 14, 17, 22, 23, 36, 37, 71.
Undoubtedly, the pearl of Florence is Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, majestically towering over the entire city, the construction of which continued over several centuries with the participation of many artists and architects. In 1294, construction began with the architect Arnolfo di Cambio. Such masters as Giotto, Andrea Pisano, Francesco Talenti, Brunelleschi took part in the construction of the cathedral.
The Duomo, also known as the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, is one of the most grandiose buildings, the fourth church in the world after the Roman Cathedral of St. Peter's, London's St. Paul's and the Duomo in Milan. If you look at the facade of the Cathedral, it is difficult to appreciate how large it is, but only by walking around it and seeing Piazza Michelangelo or San Miniato from above, you can feel its grandeur.
Many centuries ago, on the site of the Duomo stood the Church of St. Reparta, the current patroness of Nice. This Catholic saint suffered martyrdom in the 3rd century in Palestine and was carried by angels to Nice. By the way, the name of the bay in which Nice stands - the Bay of Angels - reminds us of this story. Reparta unexpectedly in 405 - we will now never know the reasons - appeared to the Roman commander Stilichio, who was defending the city from the Goths. Having won in decisive battle, the grateful Stilichio built the Reparte church, the remains of which can be seen today in the crypt of the Duomo.
The church served the city well for over half a thousand years, until around 1296 it was decided that the church was no longer adequate to the importance and size of the city. They decided to dedicate the new cathedral to the Mother of God, and call it “Cathedral of St. Mary with a Flower” (Santa Maria del Fiore), because Florence is “blooming”. The cathedral had to become not only large (it had to accommodate the entire population of the city, and this is not more, no less - 90 thousand people), but also the most beautiful, so that the rest of the Tuscan cities would die of envy, and especially Pisa with its Leaning Tower, so that it would not be okay!
In 1417, he proposed abandoning wooden frames, which cost insane amounts of money, making the dome two-layer, and laying bricks so that each subsequent row balanced the previous one. After long three years of deliberation, the selection committee of the competition believed him, but to do this he had to build a chapel on this principle in the church of Sant'Jacopo sopr Arno as proof. Finally, in 1420, he was allowed to build, but Lorenzo Ghiberti, the same one who ten years earlier won Brunelleschi’s competition to make the gates of the Baptistery, became Filippo’s boss.
There really was no need for scaffolding. The Roman holidays benefited the architect - the ideas of the Romans were supplemented and developed, Brunelleschi invented construction machines and tools on the go and explained to the workers that construction was safe and, in fact, simpler than a steamed turnip. When the dome was built 15 years later, the Florentines gasped in amazement - Brunelleschi created not one dome, but two: one inside the other, and between them a staircase, 463 steps. Then, according to the same Filippo’s design, a white marble lantern was attached to the dome, which finally stabilized the entire building. So the cathedral became the most tall building in the city - 114.5 meters...
Brunelleschi is buried in the Cathedral of Santa Reparata, in Florence, in the previous temple on the remains of which the Duomo was built. On the architect's tomb there is an inscription in Latin: "Corpus magni ingenii viri Philippi Brunelleschi Florentini" - "Here lies Filippo Brunelleschi, a Florentine of great talent."
Only 140 years have passed, and now the Dome has been erected, the cathedral has been consecrated, but the façade is still missing! The authorities' patience ran out, and in 1436 Francisco I de' Medici ordered everything to be dismantled and started over. The slabs from the facade were placed on the floor so as not to be lost, and the facade itself with Donatello’s sculptures was replaced with painted canvas. The canvas deteriorated from weather and time, and it was replaced before each special occasion. In general, there was enough work for everyone, and this went on for a very, very long time. But then, in 1865, Florence briefly, for only 6 years, became the capital of Italy, so, willy-nilly, we had to finish what we started. This is how the current facade of the Duomo appeared in 1887, which absolutely no one likes. All claims can be made against Emilio de Fabris - it was his project that was approved in 1871. The marble for the facade, as for the campanile, was brought from a variety of places: white from the quarries of Carrara, green from Prato and pink from Maremma.
The huge bronze gate was built from 1899 to 1903 
In the interior of the cathedral, it is worth highlighting the unusual clock created by Uccello in 1443 and working to this day. The hand of this clock moves against the normal direction. The bas-relief depicting Giotto laying out a mosaic is also original. And Brunelleschi and Giotto themselves are buried on the territory of their brainchild 
While inside Santa Maria del Fiore, descending from the church naves, it is impossible not to feel the effect of the dome. You get the feeling of being immersed in this huge space, and then it really becomes clear how huge and large-scale this structure is.
Initially, the project did not include painting the dome vault. However, by 1579 it was decorated with works famous artists Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari. Frescoes on inner surface the domes were begun by Vasari in 1570 and were continued after his death by Zuccari. The subjects of the frescoes are stories about the Last Judgment
The façade of the cathedral (19th century) is made in the Florentine Gothic style and the bell tower (14th century) decorated with statues and medallions is noteworthy; however, these are already copies, and you can see the originals in the cathedral museum. The light-filled interior of the cathedral with the presence of many statues and sculpted tombstones is inspiring. The cathedral museum exhibits a rich collection of cultural treasures, including statues of Donatello and Pollaiolo by Michelangelo.
We should also talk about the Baptistery of San Giovanni, the oldest building in Piazza Duomo and its gates. The oldest are south gate of 28 panels with bas-reliefs depicting the life of John the Baptist and Core Virtues. The northern gate also contains 28 panels made in gothic style(more about) and depicting pictures from the New Testament. The eastern gate is the most famous, divided into 10 gilded panels and representing biblical stories. Michelangelo himself called this creation “The Gates of Paradise.” A copy of this gate in early XIX century was installed at the northern entrance to St. Petersburg 
By the way, the decoration of the cathedral façade in the 19th century was completed largely thanks to material donations from the Russian industrialist Demidov, whose coat of arms is installed to the right of the main entrance.
The post is based on reviews from tourists and also my photographs.