Event:

Cathedral of S. Maria del Fiore

When:	Daily
Where:	Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
Costs:	Free; €6 to enter the dome
Opening Hours:	Various

The Cathedral of S. Maria del Fiore, or Duomo, is unquestionably the most impressive sight in Florence and one of the most beautiful in the country, the result of centuries of work.

Initiated in 1296 under the direction of Arnolfo di Cambio, the cathedral was subjected to numerous modifications under the auspices of the Wool Guild and many architects, including Giotto di Bondone (who concentrated on the bell tower), Francesco Talenti (who finished up to the drum of the dome and in the process enlarged Arnolfo's original plan) and Filippo Brunellaschi, the mastermind behind the structure's most striking feature, the dome.

For centuries a symbol of Florence, the dome was described by Leon Battista Alberti as "a structure so immense, so steeply rising toward the sky, that it covers all Tuscans with its shadow". However, at the time of construction, the dome posed a real challenge in that it would have to hold up under its own weight and after several unfeasible suggestions, it was Brunellaschi's proposal to be given the go-ahead.

The key to his revolutionary plan was to built the dome in two shells, with the inner one thicker than the outer, both thinning as they neared the top, thus leaving the center hollow and removing a good deal of the weight. Brunellaschi also planned to construct the dome of giant vaults with ribs crossing over them, allowing the walls to support themselves as they were built. Such was his achievement that his body is the only one ever buried under his ingenious structure.

The last part of Santa Maria del Fiore to be finished was the facade, completed between 1871 and 1887 to Emilio De Fabris' design, in a neo-gothic style reminiscent of the gothic decoration of the Bell Tower and side portals of the cathedral.

The frescoes inside, designed by Giorgio Vasari and mainly painted by his student Zuccari, have recently been restored, revealing the student's innovative colour palette.