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| Ponte Vecchio |
Ponte Vecchio means Old Bridge in Italian, and this is the oldest bridge in Florence. The first record of a permanent bridge here (probably wooden) crossing the river Arno dates from the 10th century.
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| Florence Duomo complex |
The Florence Duomo, also known as the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, was designed in the Gothic style. The nearby octagonal Baptistery of San Giovanni was consecrated in 1059 and became the inspiration for the design of the cathedral, the bell tower and the dome.
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| Baptistery of San Giovanni |
The Cathedral was built from 1296-1436 and is one of the largest churches in the world.
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| Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore8 |
Inside, the marble inlay floor with geometric motifs is the work of the grand ducal workshops of the 16th-17th centuries.
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| Marble inlay floor |
The focal point of the Cathedral is the large octagonal interior of the immense dome. Here the "Last Judgement" was painted between 1572 and 1579, by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari.
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| "Last Judgement" by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari |
The dome is the symbol of Florence and the Renaissance.
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| Brunelleschi's Dome |
The Dome was built between 1420 and 1436. Inspired by the octagonal shape of the Baptistery, Filippo Brunelleschi's design is the largest brick vault in the world. His innovation was to vault the Dome without the use of supporting frameworks, since no wooden structure could have supported that mass.
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| Giotto's Bell Tower |
The bell tower of the Cathedral is a masterpiece of Italian Gothic architecture. The construction of the bell tower was entrusted in 1334 to Giotto, the most important living artist at the time.
There's still so much of Florence to enjoy but it's time for us to continue our adventure. See you soon in Cinque Terre!