Santa Maria del Fiore (Il Duomo)
The Renowned "Duomo" of Florence
Back to Santa Maria del Fiore (Il Duomo)
I did not climb the dome, so I can't give a true comparison, but by climbing the tower instead I got two great benefits:
Reviewed by: KarenK from on Aug 02 2007
I LOVE ALL OF IT TOP TO BOTTOM. IT'S A WALK THROUGH HISTORY AND IT'S A PHENOMENAL CHURCH. I ATTENDED MASSES THERE REGULARLY AS I WAS GROWING UP. I HAD THE PLEASURE OF LIVING IN FLORENCE FOR 13 YEARS AND I TRULY APPRECIATE THE EXPERIENCE AND I MISS IT. THE DUOMO STANDS OUT AS A CASTLE IN A FOREST AND IT HAS BEEN RESTORED, CLEANED UP AND OFFERS REFUGE TO MANY TOURISTS AS THEY ADMIRE ALL THE DETAILED ARTWORK AND ARCHITECTURE OF EACH PART OF THE BUILDING. TRULY AMAZING AND A MUST SEE!
Reviewed by: Joy from on Jul 04 2007
The Santa Maria del Fiore (The Duomoa) was a this womans' dream come true. It was the most beautiful sight that has ever been bestowed upon my eyes. We walked up the stairs and they were to say the least, tiring, but it was totally worth it because the view of Firenze was totally breathtaking. The artwork in the Duomo is absolutely the most beautiful I have seen. The architecture and intriccate craftsmanship of the buildings is absolutely incredible. Photos can not even capture the delicate, ornate detail that is etched within the marble on the outside of the Duomo. We do plan on another trip to Italy again, but this time it will be a land tour, not a cruise, as on a cruise, your time is limited, for we want to be able to get in every ounce of Florence that we can, because it is one beautiful city and you absolutely can not miss out on it! There is nothing I did not like, the only thing I can say that was a little bit of a pain was the traffic and the way people drive, but that's everywhere you go!
Reviewed by: Cheryl from on Feb 19 2007
THE SCENE IS UN BELIEVABLE, IT HAS THE APPEARANCE OF A 15TH CENTURY PAINTING.THINK OF THE PATIENCE IT TOOK TO BUILD SUCH AN EDIFICE.I RECOMMEND GOING IN SEPT.,THE CROWDS ARE DOWN AND THE WEATHER IS PERFECT.
Reviewed by: A Yahoo! Contributor from on Oct 15 2006
The Duomo brings together all the magnificent things that Florence has to offer ; art, architecture, science and history. Standing in front of it looking up is surpassed only by standing at the top of the dome and looking down. The facade is vibrant with red, green and dazzling white marble, ornamented with larger than life sculptures. Upon entering the cathedral the mood changes to magnificent dignity and grandeur. Walk slowly up the center of the cathedral and look both up to the towering ceiling and down to the intricate floor patterns. Upon arriving at the alter the dome's artwork shows its luminance. Afterwards, climb the stairs to the top of the dome, for a wonderful insight into the construction of this landmark, and enjoy your reward of a spectacular view of all Florence. This city is the center of the western world's art and science, and this structure has been the center of the city for over half a millennium. Savour it.
Reviewed by: A Yahoo! Contributor from on Sep 19 2006
In May 1845 John Ruskin prolonged his stay in Pisa in order to draw the early 15th -century Palazzo Agostini on the Lungarno, or river bank, of the Tuscan city. "There is nothing like it in Italy that I know of", he said; and, writing to his father, he added: "They have knocked a great hole in the middle to put up a shield with a red lion and a yellow cock upon it for the sign of a consul, and they have knocked another at the bottom to put up a sign of a soldier riding a horse on two legs, with inscription All'Ussero Café." The sign mentioned by Ruskin was short-lived, since it was thrown into the River Arno the following year by liberal students who could not even stand the sight of that Hussar. It reminded them of Austrian rule over partitioned Italy; but the Café, one of the oldest in Europe, is still there. It has been there since 1775, as attested by copies of documents, letters, and contracts exhibited on its walls, which mention the presence of a Café on the ground floor of the late-Gothic brick Palazzo Agostini in the very heart of Pisa, next door to the oldest hotel in town, the Victoria, patronised, among others, by Ruskin and Dickens, and even by British royalty. Several police reports in the local Public Records Office reveal that for over two centuries this historic Café has been the favourite resort of radical Mazzinian students and of the more open-minded dons from the nearby University, who used to convene there not only to sip a cup of coffee and play billiards, but also to discuss political issues and comment upon gazette reports on revolutionary movements in the Papal States or in the Kingdom of Naples, then under Bourbon rule, and which had been the subject of Shelley's "Ode to Liberty", or his "Sonnet on the Republic of Benevento". Contraband translations of such works of Byron as The Prophecy of Dante or The Lament of Tasso were also circulated and read in the Café, and they inflamed the minds of students like F.D. Guerrazzi and Giuseppe Montanelli, who were later to play an important political rÛle in the Italian Risorgimento. Other students who were to become some of the most renowned nineteenth-century lyric poets and satirists in verse, such as Giuseppe Giusti, Renato Fucini, and Giosuè Carducci - the first Italian to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1906 - made their first improvvisazioni in the lively atmosphere of the Caffè dell'Ussero, as was the case with Antonio Guadagnoli, who, according to Giacomo Leopardi, had made a fool of himself by improvising playful verses on his own long nose in the Accademia dei Lunatici, the literary salon of Madame Mason, formerly Lady Mountcashel, who had played host to Percy and Mary Shelley, and particularly to Claire Clairmont, during their stay in Pisa. By the turn of the century, this literary Café had been transformed into a Café-chantant, and then into one of the first cinemas in Tuscany, only to be restored to its original function at the end of the First World War. In the twentieth century the Caffè dell'Ussero resumed its literary and artistic vein, and it was attended by artists like Marinetti, the founder of the Futurist Movement, Guglielmo Marconi, Charles Lindberg, opera singer Renata Tebaldi, and scores of Pisa University students, who were later to distinguish themselves in a variety of professions; some of them, such as Enrico Fermi and Carlo Rubbia, were to win the Nobel Prize, while others would become Prime Ministers or Presidents of the Republic.
Reviewed by: AgostinoA from on Sep 13 2006
This was my favorite place in Italy. The climb is difficult but the view is amazing. This was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.
Reviewed by: A Yahoo! Contributor from on Jul 03 2006
Visiting Santa Maria del Fiore was a dream come true. Everything about it was absolutely beautiful. The stairs to reach the top are tiring but absolutely worth it when you get up there and see the gorgeous view of Fienze. The artwork in the dome is amazing. The architecture and craftsmanship of the building are incredible. Pictures do not capture the delecate, ornate detail within the marble on the outside of the building. Someday I plan to return so I can have my breath taken away once again.
Reviewed by: KS from on Apr 19 2006
A visit to the Duomo is a must! It is beautiful inside and out and the long climb to the top is tiring but necessary. There is a rest point where you can catch you're breath for the bit and examine the marvelous frescos on the ceiling. But definitely climb all the way up for the awesome views of Florence. A highlight of our time in Florence!!
Reviewed by: DouglasA from on Mar 27 2006
The cathedral is indeed spectacular from both the inside and the outside, but I think that all people have to climb to the top of the Duomo. It costs 3 euros if I remember correctly, but it was well worth it. after climbing the 500 sum, vertico inducing stairst you reach the top, and I must say that it is well worth the effort. You can see the whole city from atop the Duomo, and it was breath taking.
Reviewed by: TonatiuR from on Dec 10 2005
The Renowned "Duomo" of Florence
Back to Santa Maria del Fiore (Il Duomo)
I did not climb the dome, so I can't give a true comparison, but by climbing the tower instead I got two great benefits:
Reviewed by: KarenK from on Aug 02 2007
I LOVE ALL OF IT TOP TO BOTTOM. IT'S A WALK THROUGH HISTORY AND IT'S A PHENOMENAL CHURCH. I ATTENDED MASSES THERE REGULARLY AS I WAS GROWING UP. I HAD THE PLEASURE OF LIVING IN FLORENCE FOR 13 YEARS AND I TRULY APPRECIATE THE EXPERIENCE AND I MISS IT. THE DUOMO STANDS OUT AS A CASTLE IN A FOREST AND IT HAS BEEN RESTORED, CLEANED UP AND OFFERS REFUGE TO MANY TOURISTS AS THEY ADMIRE ALL THE DETAILED ARTWORK AND ARCHITECTURE OF EACH PART OF THE BUILDING. TRULY AMAZING AND A MUST SEE!
Reviewed by: Joy from on Jul 04 2007
The Santa Maria del Fiore (The Duomoa) was a this womans' dream come true. It was the most beautiful sight that has ever been bestowed upon my eyes. We walked up the stairs and they were to say the least, tiring, but it was totally worth it because the view of Firenze was totally breathtaking. The artwork in the Duomo is absolutely the most beautiful I have seen. The architecture and intriccate craftsmanship of the buildings is absolutely incredible. Photos can not even capture the delicate, ornate detail that is etched within the marble on the outside of the Duomo. We do plan on another trip to Italy again, but this time it will be a land tour, not a cruise, as on a cruise, your time is limited, for we want to be able to get in every ounce of Florence that we can, because it is one beautiful city and you absolutely can not miss out on it! There is nothing I did not like, the only thing I can say that was a little bit of a pain was the traffic and the way people drive, but that's everywhere you go!
Reviewed by: Cheryl from on Feb 19 2007
THE SCENE IS UN BELIEVABLE, IT HAS THE APPEARANCE OF A 15TH CENTURY PAINTING.THINK OF THE PATIENCE IT TOOK TO BUILD SUCH AN EDIFICE.I RECOMMEND GOING IN SEPT.,THE CROWDS ARE DOWN AND THE WEATHER IS PERFECT.
Reviewed by: A Yahoo! Contributor from on Oct 15 2006
The Duomo brings together all the magnificent things that Florence has to offer ; art, architecture, science and history. Standing in front of it looking up is surpassed only by standing at the top of the dome and looking down. The facade is vibrant with red, green and dazzling white marble, ornamented with larger than life sculptures. Upon entering the cathedral the mood changes to magnificent dignity and grandeur. Walk slowly up the center of the cathedral and look both up to the towering ceiling and down to the intricate floor patterns. Upon arriving at the alter the dome's artwork shows its luminance. Afterwards, climb the stairs to the top of the dome, for a wonderful insight into the construction of this landmark, and enjoy your reward of a spectacular view of all Florence. This city is the center of the western world's art and science, and this structure has been the center of the city for over half a millennium. Savour it.
Reviewed by: A Yahoo! Contributor from on Sep 19 2006
In May 1845 John Ruskin prolonged his stay in Pisa in order to draw the early 15th -century Palazzo Agostini on the Lungarno, or river bank, of the Tuscan city. "There is nothing like it in Italy that I know of", he said; and, writing to his father, he added: "They have knocked a great hole in the middle to put up a shield with a red lion and a yellow cock upon it for the sign of a consul, and they have knocked another at the bottom to put up a sign of a soldier riding a horse on two legs, with inscription All'Ussero Café." The sign mentioned by Ruskin was short-lived, since it was thrown into the River Arno the following year by liberal students who could not even stand the sight of that Hussar. It reminded them of Austrian rule over partitioned Italy; but the Café, one of the oldest in Europe, is still there. It has been there since 1775, as attested by copies of documents, letters, and contracts exhibited on its walls, which mention the presence of a Café on the ground floor of the late-Gothic brick Palazzo Agostini in the very heart of Pisa, next door to the oldest hotel in town, the Victoria, patronised, among others, by Ruskin and Dickens, and even by British royalty. Several police reports in the local Public Records Office reveal that for over two centuries this historic Café has been the favourite resort of radical Mazzinian students and of the more open-minded dons from the nearby University, who used to convene there not only to sip a cup of coffee and play billiards, but also to discuss political issues and comment upon gazette reports on revolutionary movements in the Papal States or in the Kingdom of Naples, then under Bourbon rule, and which had been the subject of Shelley's "Ode to Liberty", or his "Sonnet on the Republic of Benevento". Contraband translations of such works of Byron as The Prophecy of Dante or The Lament of Tasso were also circulated and read in the Café, and they inflamed the minds of students like F.D. Guerrazzi and Giuseppe Montanelli, who were later to play an important political rÛle in the Italian Risorgimento. Other students who were to become some of the most renowned nineteenth-century lyric poets and satirists in verse, such as Giuseppe Giusti, Renato Fucini, and Giosuè Carducci - the first Italian to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1906 - made their first improvvisazioni in the lively atmosphere of the Caffè dell'Ussero, as was the case with Antonio Guadagnoli, who, according to Giacomo Leopardi, had made a fool of himself by improvising playful verses on his own long nose in the Accademia dei Lunatici, the literary salon of Madame Mason, formerly Lady Mountcashel, who had played host to Percy and Mary Shelley, and particularly to Claire Clairmont, during their stay in Pisa. By the turn of the century, this literary Café had been transformed into a Café-chantant, and then into one of the first cinemas in Tuscany, only to be restored to its original function at the end of the First World War. In the twentieth century the Caffè dell'Ussero resumed its literary and artistic vein, and it was attended by artists like Marinetti, the founder of the Futurist Movement, Guglielmo Marconi, Charles Lindberg, opera singer Renata Tebaldi, and scores of Pisa University students, who were later to distinguish themselves in a variety of professions; some of them, such as Enrico Fermi and Carlo Rubbia, were to win the Nobel Prize, while others would become Prime Ministers or Presidents of the Republic.
Reviewed by: AgostinoA from on Sep 13 2006
This was my favorite place in Italy. The climb is difficult but the view is amazing. This was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.
Reviewed by: A Yahoo! Contributor from on Jul 03 2006
Visiting Santa Maria del Fiore was a dream come true. Everything about it was absolutely beautiful. The stairs to reach the top are tiring but absolutely worth it when you get up there and see the gorgeous view of Fienze. The artwork in the dome is amazing. The architecture and craftsmanship of the building are incredible. Pictures do not capture the delecate, ornate detail within the marble on the outside of the building. Someday I plan to return so I can have my breath taken away once again.
Reviewed by: KS from on Apr 19 2006
A visit to the Duomo is a must! It is beautiful inside and out and the long climb to the top is tiring but necessary. There is a rest point where you can catch you're breath for the bit and examine the marvelous frescos on the ceiling. But definitely climb all the way up for the awesome views of Florence. A highlight of our time in Florence!!
Reviewed by: DouglasA from on Mar 27 2006
The cathedral is indeed spectacular from both the inside and the outside, but I think that all people have to climb to the top of the Duomo. It costs 3 euros if I remember correctly, but it was well worth it. after climbing the 500 sum, vertico inducing stairst you reach the top, and I must say that it is well worth the effort. You can see the whole city from atop the Duomo, and it was breath taking.
Reviewed by: TonatiuR from on Dec 10 2005
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