The Basilica of Santa Maria del Fiore is one of the most important monuments in the city of Florence, in Italy, and one of the most studied among the school desks, being the hub of many styles that have influenced the whole of Italy in the past centuries. . The Basilica was built and completed in the 15th century and was recognized at the time as the largest church in the world. Although it may look big in the picture, I admit that I couldn't find a perfect shot to capture it in its entirety, it's actually giant! A loop around the perimeter took about 15 minutes, at a normal pace, so it's really very big.
The Florentine basilica, like most Christian churches, consists of three naves, the central one wider and larger than the two lateral ones and they end their run with the enormous dome, the largest in the world in masonry, built by Filippo Brunelleschi, among the greatest engineers of the Renaissance. The construction of the dome, over 100 meters high and almost 50 meters wide, was a high-level engineering work, which took a few decades to create and Brunelleschi precisely calculated every detail, from the inclination of the walls to the arrangement of the herringbone bricks. Seen from the top of the Tower it looks like a great astronomical observation point, and perhaps it was for the many scholars who have visited the structure over the centuries.
The tower from which I took these beautiful panoramic photos, with an incredible view of the city and the mountain range of the Tuscan Apennines in the background, is called Giotto's bell tower, the author who built it in the 14th century AD. To date, the height reached is 83 meters and it is always lower than the dome (as mentioned above, over 100 meters high). The climb takes place through 398 steps, in a fairly narrow space and I don't remember how many turns the staircase takes before reaching the small terrace at the top, on which the original bell tower is located, replaced over time due to its precarious conditions.
This last photo gives a good idea of the height of the tower, interspersed with spacious and bright floors due to the presence of windows and arches while the staircase between the floors is really claustrophobic and very tiring. Getting to the top of the tower is truly satisfying because the view of the Basilica, the city and the mountains has a regenerating and relaxing power on the visitors' body.
In the evening the Basilica is very illuminated by lights that highlight many details of the facade including the complex and detailed decoration, typical of the Renaissance, the constant presence of mullioned windows, the statues on the upper part of the front of the church, the entrance to be clear. . It almost seems to see a well detailed picture of a work that is still considered among the most beautiful and important in the world.