The Duomo

The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore also called Duomo, is the cathedral church of Florence. The construction started in 1296 and was ready structurally in 1436.The cathedral complex includes the Bapistery and Giotto's Campanile.These three buildings are part of the UNESCO world heritage site covering the historic centre of Florence.

The basilica is one of the larget in Italy and until the modern era, the dome was the largest in the world.It still remains the largest brick dome ever constructed.The Gothic interior is vast and gives an empty impression.Many decorations in the church have been lost in the course of time, or have been transferred to the Museum Opera dell Duomo, such as the magnificent cantorial pulpits (the singing galleries for the choristers) of Luca della Robbia and Donatello.The Duomo Museum is a knockout and includes an unfinished pieta by Michelangelo (the Pieta in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican is acknowledged to be Michelanglo’s finest). Ghiberti’s original bronze panels for the Baptistery Doors and works by Donatello, including several magnificent statues, are on display in the Museo.
Location: Piazza del Duomo
Getting there: It will be a 5-7 minute walk from SMN(Santa Maria Novella), the Florence rail station.
Timings:
The Duomo: Monday through Wednesday 10:00 – 1700. Closes early on Thursdays (15:30) and Saturdays (16:45). Open Sunday from13:30 to 16:45. Closed Easter, Christmas and some other holy days.
The Museo: Monday through Saturday 0900 to 1800 and later in peak tourist season. Closed Sunday afternoon. Last admission 40 minutes before closing. Closed Easter and some other holy days.
The Bapistery:12:00 - 19:00 but 08:30 to 14:00 on Sundays.
Giotto’s Bell Tower: 8:30 to 19:30 daily with last tickets sold 40 minutes before closing. The Bell Tower closes earlier in off-season so be sure to check locally when you visit.