Duomo Museum in Florence. Italian language, italy, self-study italian
The most beautiful and popular Florence is the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo di Firenze) - the symbol of the capital of Tuscany.
The modern traveler walking the streets near the Cathedral Square will locate Santa Maria del Fiore from afar. The soaring tower of the cathedral rises 90 meters above the ground. The huge building, masterfully decorated with stucco, is crowned with a bright red dome. This dome is like a guiding beacon, it attracts the eye, calls travelers to itself. By the way, not a single, even the widest-angle camera, can completely capture the cathedral building in the lens!
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Italian - La Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore) makes a lasting impression. The vast building does not put pressure on visitors with its monumentality. Interlacing and Gothic, as a result, they gave an indescribable beauty architectural style quattrocento. It fills the marble walls of the cathedral with graceful lightness and makes you think about the most intimate. Let's look at the history of what life path this building.
The construction of a new cathedral at the end of the 13th century was taken care of by the Catholic Church. In those days, Florence was developing rapidly, turning into a large city. The number of parishioners of the local church of Santa Reparata exceeded its maximum capacity. The city authorities were also interested in Florence being able to compete with other major cities of Tuscany - Pisa and. Thus, the obsolete Cathedral of Santa Reparata sank into oblivion to make room for its successor.
The construction of the Duomo (cathedral) started in the 13th century, and last works on the decoration of the facade ended by the end of the 19th century.
As many as 6 centuries were spent on the construction of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, famous for its unsurpassed dome and bewitching play of colors on the outside. As a result, the residents received a temple unique in its dimensions, its capacity is 30,000 parishioners. In fact, it is a whole square covered with the dome of the cathedral.
Construction works
He was elected as the architect of the cathedral Arnolfo di Cambio. Building on the ideas of early Italian Renaissance and classical elements of the Gothic, the architect conceived a grandiose building in its scale. The Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore was seen by the developer as a three-nave temple in the form of a cross. Moreover, the dimensions of the new cathedral exceeded the parameters of its predecessor to a large extent. The entire area, previously occupied by Santa Reparata, fit in the middle nave of Santa Maria del Fiore.
The symbolic foundation stone of the cathedral was laid in September 1296 by the envoy of Pope Boniface VIII. Through the efforts of Arnolfo di Cambio, most of the work on the construction of the walls of the Duomo was completed. However, after the death of the architect, construction was suspended for 30 years. The next curator of the construction of the temple was the famous Italian painter and architect (Italian Giotto di Bondone). The work of this artist was subsequently inspired by such geniuses of art as, and. Giotto at that time worked as the chief architect of Florence. As part of his official duties, he came to grips with work on the Duomo bell tower, called Campanile (Italian Campanile). Giotto developed the building plan for the bell tower, and also created detailed sketches for the exterior decoration of the first tier of the building.
The death of the architect in 1337 temporarily deprived the building of its main creative force. And the plague epidemic that came 11 years later completely interrupted the work.
The workers again transgressed to their duties only in 1349 under the guidance of an architect Francesco Talenti. 10 years later it will be replaced Giovanni di Lappo Ghini. On account of these curators is the completion of the construction of the bell tower and the final formation of the architectural image of the walls of the cathedral. At the beginning of the 15th century, Santa Maria del Fiore was prepared for a dome. In this issue, and there was the greatest snag. The vast area of the dome demanded from the builders at that time the impossible. Therefore, the problem of structural stability had to be solved by engineering.
There is an opinion that the Florentine authorities announced a competition in order to find a solution to the problem that had arisen. On the one hand, it was necessary to invent perfect option design of the dome, and on the other hand, to solve the problem of its construction at a height of several tens of meters. Be that as it may, the answers to the questions of interest to the builders were born in the head of the architect (Filippo Brunelleschi)
The smartest Italian husband accurately calculated the parameters of the octagonal tower and the elongated spire. He also invented and implemented a number of mechanisms that make it possible to raise entire sections of the dome to a great height. In order to stabilize the structure, Brunelleschi ordered the installation 24 vertical stiffeners and 6 horizontal rings. This frame still holds the Duomo dome intact, the total weight of which is about 37 thousand tons.
Work on the dome was carried out from 1410 to 1461. As a final architectural touch, Filippo Brunelleschi provided a lantern tower (lantern) crowning the dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. It helps to evenly distribute the weight of the dome on the "drum" of the building, and at the same time has an aesthetic and functional load. The completed building was consecrated by Pope Eugene IV himself, which gave it additional weight in the circles of the Catholic Church.
In the 16th century, a real scandal arose around the cathedral. A solid part of the work related to the exterior of the Duomo was put up for competition. However, various nobles and officials tried to warm their hands on the contestants. As a result, construction activities were delayed until the middle of the 19th century.
Ultimately, the design of the cathedral from 1876 to 1887 was carried out by the Italian architect Emilio de Fabris. The patterns he invented still adorn the facades of Santa Maria del Fiore. A special find of de Fabris is a polychrome facing marble. This material makes the cathedral "play" with colors: white, smoothly flowing into gray, green and pink tones. This palette is designed to imitate the tricolor Italian flag.
The lancet arches of the facade are decorated with frescoes dedicated to the life of the Mother of God. Above the main entrance to the cathedral is the infant Christ, seated on a throne with the Mother of God. This bas-relief is surrounded by statues of twelve preachers. Just above the portal with statues, the facade is decorated with a huge openwork window. The space around the window contains stucco medallions depicting famous residents of Florence. Of great interest are the three bronze doors guarding the entrance to the cathedral.
The interior of the cathedral
An incredible impression on travelers is made by the richness of the external decoration of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, as well as its size. Once inside, the visitor will be confused. The lace pattern of the exterior decor gives way to the laconic interior decoration of the Catholic church. During the reign, a Dominican priest preached in the Duomo Girolamo Savonarola. He was famous for the severity of his views, and did not fail to make sure that the Duomo turned into a model of morality and virtue.
The arches of the cathedral are decorated with frescoes of the 15th century depicting the Florentines who made a great contribution to the life of the city, country and church. These include compositions dedicated to , Giovanni Acuto, Nicolò da Tollentino. In addition, the busts of the work Arnolfo di Cambio, Giotto di Bondone, Brunelleschi, Emilio de Fabrisa.
The most important relic of Santa Maria del Fiore is urn with the relics of Saint Zenobius of Florence, discovered in the ruins of the temple of Santa Reparata in the 14th century. An unusual decoration of the cathedral is the clock created by Paolo Uccelo in 1443. The highlight of the chronometer is that its hands rotate in the opposite direction.
It is simply impossible to ignore the amazing stained glass windows of the Duomo. 44 glass paintings adorn the arches of the naves and transepts. Each of them is dedicated to the deeds of the saints and martyrs of the Old and New Testaments. Rounded stained-glass windows placed in the drum of the dome illustrate scenes from the life of Christ and the Mother of God.
Having enjoyed the energy emanating from the frescoes, stained-glass windows and sculptures located in the walls of the cathedral, it is enough to lift your eyes up to experience a new surge of admiration. The vast dome of the Duomo was masterfully painted in the second half of the 16th century by artists (Giorgio Vasari) and Federico Zuccari.
The picture has a multi-tiered structure and is dedicated to the Last Judgment. The lowest ring is reserved for deadly sins and the inhabitants of Hell, led by the Antichrist. The subsequent rings, going up to the lantern, depict saints, the elders of the apocalypse, heavenly angels, the Mother of God and good deeds. The image of Satan is the antagonist of the bright figure of Christ.
Museum Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore
Most of the items that adorned the interior of the cathedral in the past were gradually moved to the Duomo Museum (Museo dell'Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore), located on Cathedral Square. The room, which served as a workshop for the architect Brunelleschi, opened in 1891 as a museum at the cathedral. Museum visitors will be able to admire the design drawings of the dome, as well as models created by Brunelleschi himself. The magnificent choirs that served as choirboys of the cathedral in the 15th century also find their home in the museum.
The extensive collection of sculpture exhibited at the Duomo Museum deserves special mention. It includes:
- An excellent selection of Florentine sculptures dating back to the 16th century.
- The statue "Penitent Mary Magdalene" (15th century) earlier, which adorned the Baptistery of the Cathedral.
- The "Prophet Habakkuk" (15th century) was moved to the museum from the bell tower;
- Statue dedicated to Pope Boniface VIII by Arnolfo di Cambio - removed from the facade of the cathedral.
- as well as the unfinished work of the great, - "".
Baptistery of San Giovanni
The complex of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore also includes (Battistero di San Giovanni), in other words, a place for baptism. It is made in the form of a separate building, standing near the Duomo on the Cathedral Square. The baptistery bears the name John the Baptist (Italian: San Giovanni Battista), and is the oldest building on the square. The date of its construction is lost in the 5th century AD. The squat hexagonal building is made in Romanesque style, and your modern look it received in the 12th century. Inside the baptistery, you can admire the golden dome, painted with the faces of Christ, saints, and scenes from the Bible.
Of particular interest are the bas-reliefs that adorned the gates of the baptistery in the 13th-15th centuries. They depict John the Baptist and the Basic Virtues. The newest gate, the eastern one, was designed by Lorenzo Ghiberti in the middle of the 15th century. in a special way. The gilded leaf of the gate was divided into 10 equal plates. In each of them, the sculptor carefully reproduced biblical stories. The second name of this masterpiece is the Gates of Paradise.
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in numbers
If you look at the Duomo from a bird's eye view, then it will be clear that its shape is a Latin cross, whose vertical is 153 meters, and the transept (crossbar width) is 90 meters. The height of the inner arches reaches 23 meters. And the most high point Cathedral - a bronze ball, at the tip of the dome - 90 meters. Capacity - 30 thousand people. A total of about a dozen architects worked on the construction of the building, and the duration of the work reached 6 centuries.
- its diameter is 42 (!) meters;
- weight - 37 thousand tons;
- the number of bricks is about 4 million pieces.
Given all these data, we can safely say that the Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore is one of the most spacious and impressive temples in Europe!
Practical Information
How to get there
The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is located in the Italian city of Florence at the address: (Piazza del Duomo), building number 17.
Find a hotel near the DuomoGetting to the cathedral is not difficult, as it is located in the city center and is the most famous attraction in Florence. Any bus going to Cathedral Square will do.
Cathedral opening hours
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday - open from 10:00 to 17:00;
- Saturday - from 10:00 to 16:45;
- Sunday - from 13:30 to 16:45.
You can admire the dome of the cathedral:
- all days except Saturday - from 8:30 to 19:00;
- Saturday - from 8:30 to 16:40.
Museum opening hours
- all days except Sunday - from 9:00 to 19:00;
- Sunday - from 9:00 to 13:45.
Ticket price
From 2018 enjoy the beauty interior decoration Santa Maria del Fiore can be purchased in advance with a single ticket for 18 euros, which is also valid for climbing the dome (advance booking is needed), visiting the Duomo Museum and the Baptistery.
The current ticket price and timetable can always be checked on the official website www.museumflorence.com, which is available in Italian and English.
For children aged 3 to 11, the ticket price is 3 euros. Tickets are valid for 72 hours, each attraction can be visited once.
You can also get into the cathedral for free after standing in a queue for about 2 hours.
Alternative options:
You can get to the dome without a queue as part of a group tour to English language, duration 1 hour, cost 40 euros per person, start time 10:00 or 14:00. Also this option suitable for those who did not have time to reserve a time to visit the dome in advance.
Take the time to take the whole day for a stroll through the Cathedral Square and a tour of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Outer beauty and the colossal historical value of the Duomo create an indescribable atmosphere of belonging to something eternal.
Those who want to fall in love with the beauty of Florence with the Italy team for me are invited to ours.
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Museo dell Opera del Duomo
IN Opera del Duomo Museum significant artistic works of decoration were transferred, and.
Above the front door is a bust of Duke Cosimo I by Giovanni Bandini. on the first floor it is worth taking a look at statue of Pope BonifaceVIII(early XIV century) - a monument to the ambitions of this pontiff, who wanted to put himself above secular rulers, "Madonna and Child" And "Madonna of the Nativity" the work of one of the best sculptors of early Renaissance Italy, Arnolfo di Cambio, as well as on "St. Luca" Nanni di Banco.
On the second floor there are two amazing cantoria(ital. cantoria - “balcony for singers”). One was created by Donatello, the other by Luca della Robbia. The cutter of Donatello also owns the statues of Habakkuk, Jeremiah, the unknown prophet and the wooden figure of Mary Magdalene.
noteworthy "Abraham and Isaac" by Nanni di Bartolo And The Annunciation by Jacopo della Quercia. The originals of the reliefs of Giotto's bell tower, made by Andrea Pisano and Luca della Robbia, are also kept here.
Pieta Michelangelo
The most famous exhibit of the collection - Pieta (The Entombment) by Michelangelo. The body of Christ taken down from the cross is supported by Mary Magdalene, the Mother of God and Nicodemus (or Joseph of Arimathea), in the image of which the master portrayed himself. Michelangelo wanted to install this sculptural group on his own grave. He worked on it slowly and with long breaks. His servant Urbino molested him so that he would finish the Pieta as soon as possible, so that the sculptor eventually broke the unfinished composition, the marble of which, moreover, turned out to be flawed. Michelangelo's student, Tiberio Calcagni, collected the pieces and restored the statue, completing the figure of Mary Magdalene for the teacher.
The body of Christ falling from the hands of the people who loved him, the Mother of God pressing her cheek against him, the extinct eyes of Nicodemus - all this is so unlike the other, young Michelangelo with his Renaissance faith in the boundless power of man.
“I am old, and death has taken away from me all the thoughts of youth,” he wrote in the year when he began this work.
Visit the Opera del Duomo Museum in Florence:
- Museo dell'Opera del Duomo
- Piazza Duomo, 9
- Tel. +39.0552302885
Working hours:
- on weekdays 09:00-19:00
- Saturday - 09:00-21:00
- Sunday - 09:00- (13:40) 19:00
- On holidays (November 1, December 8, January 6) - 9:00 - 13:40
- The museum is closed on the first Tuesday of every month.
- The museum is closed on January 1, Easter and Christmas, September 8.
Entrance: 6 € (now officially offer only combined ticket in , etc (see below) for 15€.
Ticket Il Grande Museo del Firenze - 15 €
- children 6 - 11 years old - 3 €, up to 6 years old - free of charge.
- valid for 48 hours from the first visit, no need to stand at the box office,
- includes visiting , crypts and .
Opening hours of all these museums:
- 10:00-17:00
- 08:30-18:20
Interesting about the Italian language.
History, facts, modernity.
Let's start with a few words about the current status of the language, it is obvious that Italian is the official language in Italy, the Vatican (simultaneously with Latin), in San Marino, but also in Switzerland (in its Italian part, the canton of Ticino) and in several counties in Croatia and Slovenia, where there is a large Italian-speaking population, Italian is also spoken by a part of the inhabitants on the island of Malta.
Italian dialects - can we understand each other?
In Italy itself, even today you can hear many dialects, sometimes it is enough to drive only a few tens of kilometers to encounter another of them.At the same time, dialects are often so different from each other that they may seem completely different languages. If people from, for example, the northern and central Italian "outback" meet, then they may not even be able to understand each other.
What is especially interesting is that in addition to the oral form, some of the dialects also have a written one, such as the Neopolitan, Venetian, Milanese and Sicilian dialects.
The latter exists, respectively, on the island of Sicily and is so different from other dialects that some researchers distinguish it as a separate Sardinian language.
However, in everyday communication and, in particular, major cities you are unlikely to experience any inconvenience, because. today the dialects are mostly spoken by older people in rural areas, while young people use the correct language that unites all Italians. literary language, the language of radio and, of course, television.
It may be mentioned here that until the end of the Second World War, modern Italian was only a written language used ruling class, scientists and in administrative institutions, and it was television that played a large role in the dissemination of the generally accepted Italian among all residents.
How it all began, origins
The history of the formation of modern Italian as we all know it is closely connected with the history of Italy and certainly no less fascinating.Origins - in ancient Rome, everything was in the Roman language, commonly known as Latin, which at that time was the official state language of the Roman Empire. In the future, from Latin, in fact, the Italian language and many other languages \u200b\u200bof Europe arose.
Therefore, knowing Latin, you can understand what a Spaniard is saying, plus or minus a Portuguese, and you can even make out part of the speech of an Englishman or Frenchman.
In 476, the last Roman emperor Romulus-Augustula abdicates the throne, after the capture of Rome by the leader of the Germans Odoacar, this date is considered the end of the Great Roman Empire.
Some also call it the end of the "Roman language", however, even today disputes still do not subside, because of what exactly the Latin language has lost its relevance, due to the capture of the Roman Empire by the barbarians, or was it a natural process and in what language itself spoke towards the end of the Roman Empire.
According to one of the versions, ancient rome by this time, along with Latin, it was already common colloquial and it is from this folk language of Rome that Italian, which we know as Italian of the 16th century, comes from, according to the second version, in connection with the invasion of the barbarians, Latin mixed with various barbarian languages and dialects, and it is from this synthesis that the Italian language already originates .
Birthday - first mentioned
960 is considered the birthday of the Italian language. Associated with this date is the first document where this "proto- vernacular"- vulgare, these are court papers related to the land litigation of the Benedictine abbey, the witnesses used this particular version of the language so that the testimony was understandable to as many people as possible, up to this point in all official papers we can see only Latin.And then there was a gradual spread in the ubiquitous life of the vulgare language, which translates as a folk language, which became the prototype of the modern Italian language.
However, the story does not end there, but only becomes more interesting and the next stage is associated with the Renaissance and with such, all famous names like Dante Alighiere, F. Petrarch, J. Boccaccio and others.
to be continued...
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There will also be a section - an audio tutorial, where, as you might guess, there will be lessons with audio applications that can be downloaded or listened to directly on the site.
How to choose an Italian language tutorial, where to download it, or how to study it online, you will find information about this in my posts.
By the way, if someone has ideas or suggestions on how best to organize such a tutorial on our Italian blog, then be sure to write to me.
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August 26th, 2019
Why do I love Milan(and especially the Duomo), so it's for its gloomy secrets. What in people alarms and frightens, in cities attracts and attracts with an almost malevolent devilish grin. Behind the orderly chaos of the streets of Montenapoleone and della Spiga, behind the sterile brilliance of the new lifeless skyscrapers, outside the tourist-studded Dante street, which connects the two pillars of Milanese tourism - the Duomo Cathedral and the Sforza Castle - She hides, mysterious Milan Essence.
It is unlikely that a tourist will succeed in revealing it completely, enjoying it in all its many manifestations. It takes months, if not years, and a certain obsession, almost a manic passion, such as Stendhal burned for Angela Pietragrua during the era of his stay in Milan. The passion that prompted him, perhaps, to write later: “I love this city. There I experienced the greatest pleasures and the greatest sufferings.
Duomo, as a true brainchild of his city, he also received this double essence. It seems like one continuous flaming beauty and pink gothic: chiseled spiers, unknown little animals on bas-reliefs, Madonna all in gilding ... But no! Take a look at the balcony above the central gate, at the statue on the left. Do you recognize? Yes yes exactly! Before you is nothing but a prototype American Statue Free, donated to New York by French Freemasons. And enlightenment to the dark masses, according to the Masons, was carried by a simple fallen Angel named Lucifer. And this is only the tip of the iceberg, hiding the eerie ins and outs of the Milan Cathedral, which the tourist smiling theatrically at the camera does not even suspect.
But about the cathedral - some other time. And even better - at a meeting. Because I have one word " Duomo”there is a release of adrenaline into the blood and an influx of an explosive mixture of emotions. Today I wanted to tell about another place, directly connected with the cathedral.
In general, get acquainted: Duomo Museum in Milan.
Located in the former Royal Palace and literally a stone's throw from the cathedral, it does not particularly attract tourists yet, although the general ticket to the Duomo includes the entrance here. Colorful posters with works by Van Gogh or Chagall usually flaunt on the main facade of the building, under them there is a snake-like live line, which, according to the Soviet, apparently, habit, one definitely wants to perch on, and no one pays attention to the modest entrance to the museum. It is partly understandable: then it will be possible to tell the whole world about Van Gogh and Chagall, but what to tell about the Duomo Museum if no one knows anything about it? emeralds and episcopal regalia. It is thanks to this logic that a completely special, almost mystical atmosphere reigns in the museum so far.
Museum has been radically restored less than a year ago, they have not yet managed to draw up sensible signatures for collection objects, nor have they managed to conduct a massive PR campaign. But the light and the walls... are mesmerizing. In the semi-darkness, against the backdrop of Lombard brickwork, ancient treasures appear in bright spots of spotlights. True, on my first visit, I was so absorbed in the general impression and some kind of reverent horror that I did not pay due attention to the artifacts. I had to return. And come back many times, because awe seems to be included in the ticket price here.
There are only 26 halls, but they are located in such a bizarre labyrinth that their number seems endless. The exhibits are located in chronological order and cover not only the notorious episcopal regalia, but also the original statues, stained glass windows, and models of the cathedral itself. You can talk about each for a long time and excitedly, but you don’t want to do this alone with a computer. I will mention only a few from the collection, not the best, but quite representative.
The gospel of Ariberto d'Intimiano from the beginning of the 11th century is a treasure trove for any treasure hunter. Gold, pearls, emeralds, sapphires and garnets - everything is here. Intertwined with such simplicity and nobility that modern goldsmiths want to be sent to study with the Milanese artisans of the last millennium. Ariberto, on the other hand, was one of the most influential bishops of the city, who combined spiritual and secular power in his hands and created the basis for the emergence of an independent Milanese commune.
At the time of the reign of Ariberto d'Intimiano, the cathedral in today's majesty was not yet planned. The venerable Duomo Factory, as the Fabbricheria (Italian office for the construction and repair of churches) was officially called, did not appear until 1387. And the Venerable lived to a respectable age, exists to this day, actively restores and increases the attendance of the cathedral. You can admire the coat of arms of the Factory in the museum. As you might guess, a lot of stories and legends are also connected with him.
I don’t even want to talk about the Carelli spire - any guide in Milan will sing about it to you. The story is atypical for the Middle Ages (where is it seen that the richest merchant gave up his entire fortune during his lifetime?!), but in the process of building the cathedral, one way or another, it is often repeated. By the way, I already have a whole collection of such stories, and I love them all dearly .. especially about granny Katerina (namesake, after all).
And I would love to tell you about St. Antonio. But, again, personally. Better even in the church of St. Antonio, under the organ of Mozart. There they talk about pigs, the sacred animals of Milan, especially well ... That's it, but they say that in Milan there is nothing to watch and in general, melancholy here is mortal. This is with the Holy Pigs!!
Speaking of pigs… indecent attitude towards historical values in a certain period was observed, I suspect, in most countries. Italy is far from an exception. Yes, and they did so much on the boot over the centuries that go and follow - where is the value, and where is the mediocre daub. So, inadvertently, young Tintoretto was written off as a Milanese junk ...
In photographing stained-glass windows, my mediocrity in handling the camera was fully manifested. And so I approached them, and so .. the feeling of beauty is not captured. And the stained glass windows, meanwhile, are wonderful. IN Duomo it is unlikely that they will be considered, but here the manufacturing technology is visible in all its glory. More precisely, the evolution of this technology, since the stained-glass windows are presented both ancient, XV-XVI centuries, and recent, XIX centuries.
My love for tapestries woke up relatively recently. It is unlikely that I would hang such “pictures” with stories of Moses or dances of putti at home, but studying their allegorical details gives me undoubted pleasure. It is a pity that only three of the six original canvases have survived today (the rest are a separate series), and it is even more pity that painting and architecture have ceased to be a source of knowledge, a book for the initiated and an ingenious puzzle.
We are moving towards the exit. I miss the supporting structure of the Madonnina, which is in no way inferior to contemporary works arts and the most interesting developments of plots for the reliefs of the facade.
The main hall is a hall with wooden models of the cathedral. The most impressive and detailed, commissioned by Bernardino da Treviglio in 1519, is really masterful, although I can’t say which one impresses me the most. Many Milanese, however, would certainly like it better than the existing one. At least for the simple reason that the foreign hand of the invader Napoleon did not interfere in its creation.
The last corridor, according to the temporal pattern, is the age of follies and contemporary art. The ubiquitous in Milan, Lucio Fontana, managed (one wants to say “spoil”, forgive me, fans of his work) to prove himself here too. Can you imagine if the bronze doors of the Duomo looked like this now?
I will end on this question mark, recalling that a separate thematic tour of Milan Duomo possible on special order.
In the morning they found the dome of the Duomo in the window almost at arm's length.
Sunshine, though hellish wind. Pretty cold. Either the chimes are striking on the tower of the Palazzo Vecchio, or the bells are ringing on Giotto's campanile. It was Monday, that is, the day when the main museums are closed. We thought there would be nothing really to do ... Looking ahead, I’ll say that in the end they rushed until night and not everyone managed what they wanted.
We started from Dante's house, since it was just 50 meters from our shelter. In a very atmospheric 50 meters…
From the outside, it is an authentic building that inspires respect, with a bust of the poet in front of the facade and the corresponding souvenir and entertainment tourist activity.
Inside, in principle, there is nothing to see, the main theme of the exposition is the struggle of the Guelphs and Ghibellines, but all the texts and captions for the exhibits are in Italian.
The Guelphs and Ghibellines are the two most influential parties in the political arena of Italy in the 12th-13th centuries. Their struggle took place in the context of the struggle between the papal and imperial thrones for influence in Italy. The Guelphs were supporters of the papal throne, the Ghibellines - the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Dante also belonged to the party of the latter, and as a result of their defeat in 1302 he was expelled from Florence, could not return, and nineteen years later died in exile in Ravena.
Coats of arms of Ghibellines, Guelphs and Alighieri proper.
There is a reconstruction of his closet and several costumes and armor, in my opinion, of a somewhat later era.
In general, for such a culturally oversaturated city as Florence, the Dante Museum, in my opinion, can be safely attributed to the second line.
Closer to 10 am we moved to Duomo Square, where we stuck safely for half a day.
Duomo, also known as the Cathedral of Santa Maria Del Fiore, the Cathedral of Florence, was erected on the site of the Church of Santa Reparata, which existed from the 4th to the 13th century. The decision to build a new, more majestic and spacious cathedral was made in 1289. Its construction was entrusted to the great Florentine architect of the Proto-Renaissance Arnolfo di Cambio. The foundation stone of the cathedral was solemnly laid in 1296, and it was completed and consecrated only one hundred and forty years later, in 1436, and at that time became the largest cathedral in Europe. True, its facade remained unfinished in the 15th century, and was completed in its current form only in 1887.
A significant page in the construction of the cathedral is an invitation in 1331 as the chief architect of Giotto. Instead of continuing the construction of the cathedral itself, Giotto designed and laid down an amazing and perfect campanile - a bell tower that completes the look of the ensemble.
But the most famous element of the Duomo is the dome by the great Renaissance architect Filippo Brunelleschi. The construction of the dome began only in 1420. Although the idea of an octagonal lancet vault belonged to di Cambio, for more than a century there was no engineering solution for its implementation. The dome with a diameter of 42 meters was first built without solid formwork and scaffolding resting on the ground and became a symbol not only of Florence, but also of Renaissance architecture.
The cathedral was the scene of the most striking events in the history of Florence. Savonarola preached in it, an attempt was made on Lorenzo Medici the Magnificent and his brother Giuliano, as a result of which Giuliano died, and Lorenzo miraculously managed to escape to the greater glory of the city and art.
At first we took pictures from all angles of the Duomo...
And then they found a rather impressive line at the entrance to the cathedral, though they lost only 20 minutes in it.
Entrance to the cathedral is free, but inside there is practically nothing but walls.
You can enjoy the perfection of the building, and all the former content has been transferred to the Duomo Museum. Of the artifacts on the entrance wall, there was a clock created in 1443 by Uccello, which still runs to this day, and the arrow moves in the opposite direction.
Giotto and Brunelleschi are also buried in the cathedral, but we did not find their tombs (although we did not really look for them).
For a dime you can go down under the cathedral, where the excavations of the church of Santa Reparata, which preceded this building, are being carried out. If you know what antiquity is there, it is impressive, especially the knight's tombs.
We got out from under the Cathedral and after thinking about where to climb - on the dome of the Duomo or on the bell tower of Giotto, we decided not to climb anywhere))) and went to the Baptistery, which is located directly opposite the Duomo.
At the base of the Baptistery of San Giovanni or the Baptistry named after John the Baptist))), there is a Romanesque building dating back to the 5th century. The marble facing of the walls dates back to the 11th-12th centuries, but the most famous element of the external decoration of this building is the East Gate, decorated with gilded bas-reliefs by Lorenzo Ghiberti.
Created in 1425-1452. 10 bas-reliefs represent biblical stories. Half a century later, the gate was praised by Michelangelo, who called it the "Gate of Paradise".
True, now there are copies on the Baptistery, the originals were placed in the Duomo Museum in the 19th century.
Inside the Baptistery, an unexpected discovery awaited in the form of mosaics of the dome, referring to the Russian icon-painting tradition familiar to us.
It turned out that these mosaics of the XIII-XIV centuries, depicting the Last Judgment, are of Byzantine origin.
In addition to the amazing mosaics, the Baptistery is interesting for the tomb of Antipope John XXIII by Donatello and Michelozzo in 1424-25. The comrade was so sinful that it is not very clear how he was even awarded a church burial, but nevertheless his tombstone was made the best masters of his time.
We left through the south gate by Andrea Pisano, dated 1330-1336.
After the Baptistery, it remained to visit another important object in Duomo Square - the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore Museum or the Duomo Museum. It is located on the other side of the cathedral from the Baptistery, so, having passed the cute horses waiting for tourists ...
We again enjoyed the incredible views
