The church that doesn't look like a hen

I know, it has been a long time since my last post, but I am back, so relax and enjoy ;)



Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence 2016


Ok, the title of this post is not suppose to insult anyone. It's just inspired by a facebook fanpage that collects the pictures of churches that somehow reminds not very noble animal: a hen. You can see it here


I must say, sacral architecture is my thing - I like to discover temples and feel the unique atmosphere each of them have. The thing is that for me modern churches don't look good. It's almost hard for me to believe that in the old times, with less know-how people were able to build temples of great beauty and now... 


Long story short, the church I would like to tell you about is anythings like that. Santa Maria del Fioreis is in fact one of the most outstanding examples of sacral beauty. 


Facade of the Duomo di Firenze

 
The basilica Santa Maria del Fiore known also as Il Duomo del Firenze is famous for its white, pink and green marble facade, the Giotto campanile (bell tower) and Babtistety but above all it's famous for the enormous dome - the work of Filippo Brunelleschi.  

What is quite funny (maybe not when you are on the top of the "cupola"), Brunelleschi was not even an architect. He was a goldsmith by profession but somehow, someway his genius allowed him to design and built a dome with a span of 45.4 m and height 70 meters (plus 37 meters if we count the lantern on the top). Oh, and it weights 37 thousands tons. 

In  1418 the basilica has been missing a dome  and  there was noone who has an idea how to build it. There was a contest to find the contractor but the participants had some strangest ideas how to make it. Only Brunelleschi was able to propose a solution that had a chance of success. 

And it was a success indeed. The dome was built without scaffolding (he had this unimaginable idea that a double dome will be his own scaffolding) and with no fatalities. Till nowadays atchitects and scientist are impressed by the way the dome has been constructed and by machinery Brunelleschi designed to use during construction (all can be seen for 15 euro - combined ticket allows you to enter the church, the museum dedicated to the basilica as well as the Campanile, Babtistery and the Dome).


I was impressed as well, I must say it was totally worth to climb 430 steps in a claustrophobic staircase just to be able to see the construction, and ofcourse the view from the top. The interior of the dome is decorated with frescoes that covers 3,600 metres² of surface and depicts The Last Judgment. If you are interested in the history of a simple goldsmith with unlimited imagination I recommend Great Cathedral Mystery.


The Brunelleschi dome of the basilica




The inside ornaments of the "cupola"

Apparently hell is full of man-lizards...beware!


The "corridor" between two domes.


The model of the dome, can be seen in the Museum of the Duomo



Here we are on the top :)

The view of the bell tower, Florence


Florence the view from the top of the cupola

The Babtistery, Florence


Florence again


Campanile, Florence


Florence, in the distance Palazzo Vecchio and Palazzo Pitti with Boboli Gardens



Il Duomo di Firenze





Inside of the Babtistery


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