Florence - Day 2 The Duomo

The Duomo, the main cathedral in Florence, the Santa Maria del Fire. It is one of the largest Churches in the world at 153 meters long and 90 meters wide it sits around the same size as St Paul's Outside the Walls Basilica in Rome behind St Peter's at 211 meters long.

looking at the Duomo from the rear.

The interior fairly plain style buyt the big supprise is the dome.

Sitting above the main altar is a masterpice fresco depicting Jesus on his judgement seat in heaven surrounded by Saints, prophets and below him the fiery furnace of the dammed.

A central view of the painting.

Like St Peters in Rome there was a stairway leading to the top of the Duomo where people could climb to take in the fresco at a much closer range and enjoy views of the city once outside.

The fresco up close.

Views from the top looking back over the Duomo and the city.

The floor back down in the Duomo entrance.

Like all good churches in Italy there is always a crypt.

The original cathedral dates back to the 4th century with a few renovations along the way, stunning floor mosaics for age of building.

The altar in crypt.

In front of the Duomo is the Baptistry a stunning building in its own right.

The original foundations date back to the first century where it was believed to be used as Roman pagan temple before being converted to a christian site and a few rebuilds since.

The baptistry was used for as the name suggests for baptising people but also had room for liturgical functions as well. it was under renovation while we were there with a sheet covering the whole ceiling with a digital print of the mosaic that it was covering to give an idea of what is behind it.

The mosaics above the baptistry altar.

The baptistry font. it looks a little small and out of place for such a large baptistry building. usually in an octagonal baptistery a large octagonal font is found in the center of the building, but with a scaffold erected in the center instead.