Things You Can´t Miss at the Duomo in Florence

Not only does it hold the title of being the third largest cathedral in Europe after St Peter's in Rome and St Paul's in London, but the Duomo is one of the most impressive and beautiful cathedrals in the world. Known by the name of Santa Maria del Fiore, its construction spanned from the 13th century to the 15th century and was overseen by various architects, resulting in a mixture of styles with Gothic and Renaissance features.

The monumental complex of the Duomo of Florence includes, in addition to the cathedral building in the strict sense, Brunelleschi's Dome, Giotto's Bell Tower, the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, the Baptistery of St. John and the Crypt of Santa Reparata.

The most complete option

Florence Duomo and Brunelleschi Dome Tickets

Immerse yourself in the Renaissance

Visit the whole complex of Santa Maria del Fiore: the Cathedral, Brunelleschi's Dome, the Baptistery, Giotto's Bell Tower, the Opera Museum and the church of Santa Reparata.

From AED 213 at Hellotickets

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With this ticket for the Cathedral and Brunelleschi's Dome you will have priority access to see Brunelleschi's dome, a great advantage as every day it is visited by numerous tourists and it is difficult not to have to wait to see this true wonder of the Renaissance, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since the 1980s. Be prepared, though, as you will have to climb a total of 463 steps.

The ticket is valid for three days and also gives you the opportunity to visit Giotto's Bell Tower, the Baptistery, the Opera del Duomo Museum and the church of Santa Reparata.

Recommended... whether you are a lover of art, architecture and history or not, this is a must-see monument on your trip to Florence.

Once you have purchased your ticket for the Cathedral and Brunelleschi's Dome, inside the interior of Santa Maria del Fiore you will notice that it has a Latin cross shape with three naves whose dimensions are 153 metres long and 130 metres wide.

In terms of height, 107 metres separate the base from the top of the dome. Before starting your visit, it is important that you sit on one of the benches and take in your surroundings. Designed by Arnolfo di Cambio, Santa Maria del Fiore is the third largest cathedral in Europe after St. Peter's in neighbouring Rome and St. Paul's in the English capital and it is impressive.

If you want more information, don't hesitate to read the post tickets to the Duomo of Florence.

With your entrance to the Cathedral, you will have priority access to the Brunelleschi Dome, an architectural challenge by Filippo Brunelleschi. In fact, it is made up of a double roof, whose internal vault contains one of the largest murals in the world, with 3,600 square metres of painted surface, decorated with a series of scenes from the Last Judgement and painted by the artists Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari a century after its construction, between 1568 and 1579.

The visit to the Brunelleschi Dome, which lasts 45 - 50 minutes, can be made:

• Monday to Friday from 8:15 a.m. to 7:45 p.m..
• Saturdays from 8:15 am to 5:30 pm.
• Sundays and public holidays from 12:45 pm to 5:30 pm.

The entrance fee is approximately 47 € for adults and 27 € for children from 7 to 14 years old. You can also visit as part of a guided tour to learn all the details of this Renaissance landmark.

The stained glass windows of the Duomo of Florence date back to the 14th and 15th centuries and are the work of renowned Florentine artists such as Lorenzo Ghiberti, Donatello, Andrea del Castagno and Paolo Uccello. On the one hand, those of the rose window and the entrance show scenes of Christ and Mary and, on the other hand, those of the naves depict saints from the Old and New Testament.

Of particular note is the Coronation of the Virgin by Donatello in the drum of the dome, and the round stained glass window above the clock, designed by Gaddo Gaddi, which dates from the early 14th century and shows Christ crowning Mary as Queen.

If you want to see the stained glass windows in detail, I recommend you to book a tour of the Duomo of Florence with access to the cathedral, the dome, the Baptistery and the Opera Museum, lasting about 2 hours, in which a professional guide will explain all the details about the history of the Duomo, so you can learn the secrets of the monument. Not only about the stained glass windows, but also about the paintings, the murals, the works of art and the sculptures. Would you like to join us?

With the entrance ticket to the Cathedral and Brunelleschi's Dome, you can also see the liturgical clock of the Duomo of Florence which tells the time in Roman numerals and is a mechanical clock made in the mid-15th century by Angelo Niccolai degli Orologi, the back of which was painted by Paolo Uccello.

It is divided into 24 segments and moves in the opposite direction to what we are used to. In fact, the hours are given in Italian style, which are characterised by counting the day from sunset. It is also decorated with the bust of the four evangelists on each of the edges.

But the liturgical clock is not the only one that characterises the Duomo of Florence. There is also a sundial that illuminates the floor of the chapel to the left of the high altar with a circle. This sundial is 90 metres high and was used for 300 years by the astronomers of Florence.

When you enter the Cathedral, once inside the Duomo of Florence, on a side wall located in the nave of the Gospel, you can contemplate the painting Dante and the Divine Comedy by the Florentine painter Domenico di Michelino.

Painted in 1465 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of the poet and writer, this work shows Dante with his book in his right hand in one of the scenes of the work. One of its peculiarities is that it shows a view of Florence in 1465 with Brunelleschi's dome in the background, a view that Dante never saw.

The Baptistery of St. John is also included in the entrance ticket to the Cathedral and in the tour of the Duomo of Florence. It is the oldest building in Piazza del Duomo.

Next to the Door of Paradise, the work of Lorenzo Ghiberti, its interior ceiling stands out. Divided into eight segments, it was decorated with mosaics on a golden background dating from the 13th and 14th centuries, including scenes from the Last Judgement, the life of Christ, Joseph, Saint John the Baptist, Genesis,...

If you go on your own, the visit can be made from 9 am to 7.45 pm. The entrance fee is 5 € for adults and 3 € for children from 7 to 14 years old.

The Crypt of Santa Reparata, included in the entrance to the Cathedral, has been the subject of several archaeological excavations since the second half of the 20th century, giving rise to numerous discoveries from different periods, from the ruins of houses from Roman times to those of the Cathedral of Santa Reparata with its successive enlargements. Next to the entrance is the tomb of Filippo Brunelleschi.

It is possible to visit it from 10.15 am to 5 pm and the entrance fee is 15 € for adults and 7 € for children from 7 to 14 years old.

On your visit to the interior of the Duomo in Florence, there are some great works that you can see with your ticket to the Cathedral that I recommend you look for and contemplate at your leisure. One of them is the altar of Saint Zenobius, the first bishop of Florence, which is the work of Ghiberti.

On the other hand, the funerary monument of Antonio d'Orso, bishop of Florence, which was made by the Tuscan sculptor Tino di Camaino. There is also the monumental cross by Benedetto da Maiano and the sacristy doors by the ceramist and sculptor Luca Della Robbia. And, of course, the choir, by the Florentine painter and sculptor Bartolommeo Bandinelli.

The Campanile which is the name given to the bell tower of the Duomo has approximately 400 steps and a height of 85 metres. The climb takes about 45 minutes and is a very interesting part of your visit to the Duomo, as from the top you will have one of the best views of the city.

The climb can be done from 8:15 am to 7:45 pm every day of the week. Admission costs from €15 for adults and €7 for children from 7 to 14 years old.

The Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, included in the entrance to the Cathedral, houses in its 28 rooms some of the main works, museums and paintings that were once in Santa Maria del Fiore, the Baptistery of St. John or the Crypt of Santa Reparata or the Giotto's Bell Tower.

You can see outstanding works such as 'Maddalena penitente' and 'Profetino dalla Porta della Mandorla' by Donatello, 'Pietà Bandini' by Michelangelo, the 'Porta del Paradiso' by Lorenzo Ghiberti, 'Statua di Santa Reparata' by Andrea Pisano, 'La Carità' by Tino di Camaino, 'San Luca Evangelista' by Nanni di Banco or 'Madonna del solletico' by Andrea Pisano. More than 700 works of art are housed in this museum which was founded in 1891 and renovated in 2015.

The museum is open every day of the week from 9am to 7.45pm and costs €10 for adults and €5 for children from 7 to 14 years old for the combined ticket next to the Baptistery of St. John.

If you are booking a tour of the Duomo, keep in mind that it is located in the heart of the historic centre of Florence. Therefore, I recommend that you walk there. But if you are some distance away, don't hesitate to take the bus or the tram to get there as comfortably and quickly as possible:

• Tram: Line T2 passes very close to the Duomo. Look for the Unità stop.

• Bus: The bus is another option for getting to Piazza del Duomo in comfort. Take the C4 line which stops at Via Panzani and Santa Caterina.

• Train: If you arrive at Santa Maria Novella, you will be in Piazza del Duomo in just 8-10 minutes on foot.

Whether you buy a ticket to the Florence Cathedral or take a tour of the Florence Duomo, bear in mind the following recommendations to make the most of your visit:

• The entrance to Santa Maria del Fiore is free to enter. But if you are going to enter the rest of the monumental complex you will have to buy your ticket. To do so, I recommend that you buy it in advance and online to avoid wasting unnecessary time at the ticket office. You can also buy it with priority access to speed up your entry.
• To gain access, you will have to pass through a metal detector.
• You will not be able to take large suitcases or backpacks with you.
• If you want to see the Duomo in a more relaxed and comfortable way, don't hesitate to schedule your visit early in the morning and during the week.
• If your trip coincides with the summer, bear in mind that you will not be able to enter the Duomo with your shoulders uncovered, so you should always wear a foulard or scarf.
• Avoid wearing sunglasses and a hat inside. It is not appropriate.
• You are not allowed to bring food into the Duomo monumental complex.
• The climb to the Brunelleschi Dome and the Bell Tower is not recommended for people with claustrophobia, dizziness and heart problems.

Finally, don't hesitate to read the post What to see in Piazza del Duomo in Florence, so that you can complete your visit to this enclave with other original proposals.