Santa Maria del Fiore

Santa Maria del Fiore not always was a city’s cathedral. Once upon a time this role has been incumbent to the Baptistery and San Lorenzo while in place of Santa Maria del Fiore has been small Santa Reparto church which was built in 7 century.

The idea of building new Cathedral in Florence began to discussed at the end of the 13th century when the city’s authorities decided to highlight the growing power of the Florence. It’s worth mentioning that by that time the Florence’s rivals, including Pisa and Siena, already had Cathedrals and for Florence’s Council it was very important to surpass them.

City’s Council made decision that Santa Reparto “is too small and is too rough” for such great city as Florence. In 1294 council unfolded edict to build new cathedral which would have delighted by its richness and greatness. In the same year Arnolfo di Cambio got the order to develop the plans of new Cathedral.

Cathedral’s façade is comparatively new creation. In 1587 original façade designed by Arnolfo di Cambio has been dismantled but new façade appeared only 300 years after. It’s work of Emilio de Fabris.

As one of the traits of Cathedral, Arnolfo di Cambio contrived a big dome but he didn’t explain how to build it. Thus this task has been postponed for the further generations.

First stone of Cathedral has been laid in September of 1296; to emphasize connection between The Virgin Mary and Florence it got the name - Santa Maria del Fiore.

After the death of Arnolfo di Cambio in 1302, the work has lingered but it got new incentive when to the unfinished Cathedral was moved the body of St. Zinoviev. Then the work under Cathedral has been entrusted to the Giotto who devoted most of his energy to build Campanile.

After the Giotto, on the Cathedral’s construction worked a few architects who worked in the conditions of political and financial unrest in Florence. Nave of the Cathedral has been finished in 1378, arch – in 1380, the Dome of the Cathedral – it’s different story which I’m going to tell in the special article.

Requirements of the Florence’s Council to build spacious building have been taken by the Cathedral builders with great enthusiasm. They built the fourth largest Cathedral in world which can accommodate 30 000 visitors.

Interior of Florence's Cathedral. Photo provided by the Luca Aless under CC BY 3.0 license.

In the interior of the Santa Maria del Fiore there are few interesting murals. One of them dedicated to the great son of Florence – Dante. This mural located on the north nave of the Cathedral. It was created by Domenico di Michelini in 1465. Note that Dante has been depicted here out of the city walls. It’s a clue that he has been ousted from the Florence by his political rivals.

Florence’s Cathedral has more stained windows than any other Cathedral in Italy.

Judgement by Vasari. He painted Dome of Cathedral in 1579. Photo provided by the Arnaud 25 under CC BY 3.0 license.