Florence Cathedral

The Duomo was built on the remains of a previous church - Santa Reparata. It rises above the city streets, its colourful appearance from the green, white and red marble used for the exterior, and the orange dome, having become a well-known landmark of Florence.

The first design was produced by Arnolfo di Cambio in 1296 in which a vaulted basilica, polygon-shaped apse and a magnificent domed octagon were planned.

The work stopped for a while but began again in 1331. Much of the proposed building was finished by 1418, but one big problem remained - how to build the dome? In the end a competition was devised which a certain Brunelleschi and Ghiberti won. Eventually, Brunelleschi took control of the project. His cupola design required the construction of two concentric shells, the outer the thinner of the two. It took 16 years to complete, but it is one of the masterpieces of Renaissance architecture.