Церковь Санта-Мария-дель-Фьоре является одной из The main attractions of Florence. This is a whole architectural ensemble, which includes the baptistery (baptismal) and the campanile (bell tower). The latter serves as a guide for a lost tourist, since it rises ninety meters. A bright red dome of Santa Maria del Fiore is the hallmark of the capital of Tuscany. By the way, about the name. There are several churches dedicated to the Mother of God in Florence. Not far from the station is located Santa Maria Novella. It looks like an inlaid casket with its black and white facade. But she once terrified the Florentines, as she was the church of the Dominicans and the Inquisition. But "Madonna-in-Flowers" was for the citizens a meeting place, a symbol of the greatness of Florence. This is the cathedral, or, as they call it in Italy, the Duomo. In this article we will give the most complete information about this temple.
It was the end of the thirteenth century, when afterdefeat ghibellin the power of the Pope consolidated. And in order to show the triumph of the Catholic Church over the “Patarenic (Albigoy) heresy,” huge cathedrals were erected. They were supposed to rise above the whole city as a symbol of the dominance of papal authority. In addition, we should not forget about the feudal fragmentation, which then experienced Italy. The Duomo of Florence was supposed to "wipe the nose" of such long-standing rivals of the city as Pisa and Siena. The city also needed a temple that would be able to accommodate the entire population. And Florence, huge for those times, exceeded London in number of inhabitants. Thirty thousand people - that is the capacity of the cathedral of the capital of Tuscany. This was conceived by the architects to be an indoor forum where all citizens of the Christian faith, young and old, could gather. Of course, the amount of construction required astronomical. But Florence of the thirteenth century was flourishing. Dye wool and trade brought a steady income to the city. And because the money for the construction was.
The place for the construction of the cathedral wasThe Church of the Holy Reparata, which had already decayed for several centuries, was chosen. The decision to demolish the temple built in the fourth century was made in 1289. As is customary now, a competition was announced, but the tender was won by the Florentine Art Guild, which commissioned its member, architect Arnolfo di Cambio, to develop the project. The order clarified that the Duomo (Florence) should be larger in size and richer decorated than the cathedrals of Siena and Pisa. The foundation stone was laid by papal legate Cardinal Pietro Valeriano Duraguerra in September 1296. Arnolfo di Cambio personally supervised the work. But after the death of the master in 1302, construction stopped for as much as twenty eight years. Probably, the lack of funds for the implementation of such a large-scale project affected. But here the forces of heaven intervened in the construction. In the basement of the old church of Santa Reparata, the relics of Zinovius of Florence were “miraculously found”. The news of the miracle was brought to the ears of the Christian people by the preachers, and the gifts of the pious pilgrims helped to continue the construction.
Designed by Arnolfo di Cambio, this buildingshould be made in the shape of a Latin cross. The single nave Santa Reparata was complemented by two more naves on the sides. At the end of them, an octagonal dome was conceived. A semicircular apse and two side transepts complete the layout of the Duomo. In 1330, Florence appointed Giotto as chief architect, the most fashionable and highly paid master of that time. But the ambitious architect instead of continuing the work of his predecessor, was engaged in the construction of the bell tower. Giotto died in 1337, when only the first tier of Campanilla was built. And in 1347 a black plague came to Florence, and all was not up to the cathedral. After the end of the epidemic, work resumed. For nearly seventy years of construction, six main architects have changed. They were Francesco Talenti, Giovanni di Lapo Guini, Alberto Arnoldi, d’Ambrogio Giovanni, Neri di Fioravante and Andrea Orcaña.
К 1418 году стены были завершены.It remained only to impose a dome on them. But then there were engineering difficulties. The area of the proposed dome was so extensive that the architects were afraid that it would collapse. In addition, it was not clear how to deliver building materials to a height of over ninety meters. The work was interrupted for forty years. The Florence Council announced another contest. Build a dome took Filippo Brunneleski. To stabilize the design, the ingenious engineer installed on the octahedral base twenty-four vertical edges and six horizontal rings. Such a framework for more than half a millennium holds the thirty-seven-ton dome of Santa Maria del Fiore. Everything in it is calculated to the smallest detail. Even the lantern (lamppost) is not just an architectural ornament. It adds load to the drum built, makes the dome more stable.
Even before the Brunnelski dome was completed,Florence Duomo consecrated. This happened in 1436. For this ceremony, the Roman pontiff himself, Eugene the Fourth, arrived in Florence. This gave Santa Maria del Fiore additional weight in the eyes of the laity and the clergy. The majestic building is striking in size. The total area of the cathedral is 8300 sq.m. The temple extends one hundred and fifty-three meters in length and 90 meters in width. However, the temple does not impress massive, oppressive. Thanks to the skill of architects, he seems to be floating. The walls rise forty-five meters. They are crowned by a dome with a diameter of 42 m. The total height of the temple (from the foot to the cross at the top) is one hundred and fourteen meters. But it is hard to believe that the cathedral was fully completed only in 1887.
Yes, beautiful facade that glorified the Duomo(Florence), is not the work of the Trechento or Renaissance Quadren. The fact is that in the sixteenth century a real construction scandal broke out. Numerous officials from the magistrate tried to warm their hands in tenders. As a result, Francis I, the Grand Duke, ordered the work on the decoration of the facade to be stopped. It was only in 1876 that the architect and sculptor Emilio de Fabriz was allowed to take over. He invented this game of colored marble, on a palette reminiscent of the Italian flag. The designer used the stone from Prato (green), Maremma (pink) and Carrara (white). Such a polychrome decoration highlights the cathedral. Above the pointed arches you can see murals that reflect the earthly life of the Virgin Mary. The central entrance is decorated with a statue of the Virgin and Child Christ in her arms. The bas-relief is surrounded by twelve apostles. On top of this is an openwork gothic rosette. Next to it are visible medallions with images of prominent figures of Florence.
Duomo inside no less luxurious than outside.But there is also a certain contrast between the lace pattern of the external decor and the laconic decoration of the interior. The Dominican preacher Savanarola in his time took care of this, reproaching the Florenians for thinking more about external gloss than about the spiritual component of religion. But the frescoes of the fifteenth century, located on the vault of the cathedral, the local Puritans did not get (to the delight of posterity). These paintings depict famous Florentines - Dante Alighieri, Giotto, Nicolò da Tollentino, Giovanni Acuto and others. The main Catholic shrine of the temple, which now attracts not so much pilgrims as tourists, is the relics of Zinovy of Florence, which, as we remember, gave an impetus to the further construction of the Duomo. Another decoration of the cathedral is a watch, designed in 1443 by Paolo Uchchelo. The hands of this chronometer move in the opposite direction, measuring the time remaining until the Last Judgment.
You can not ignore the beautiful pictures onglass. Forty-four stained glass windows adorn the transepts and arches of the nave of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. They can be considered for hours. The uppermost stained glass windows in the dome illustrate the deeds of Christ and the life of the Madonna. And the bottom pictures are devoted to the prophets of the Old and the saints of the New Testament. The dome itself, originally white (Brunneleschi believed that its offspring is so beautiful that it does not need additional decor), was painted at the end of the sixteenth century by artists Federico Zuccari and Giorgio Vasari. This epic mural depicts the afterlife. The lower tier is the sinners of hell for whom repentance is unavailable. Together with the Antichrist they will suffer forever. Shown above are souls in Purgatory. And just above, at the dome, in the assembly of the angels of heaven, you can see Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, the figures of the Apocalypse and the saints.
Duomo (Florence) includes more than one churchSanta Maria del Fiore, and several buildings. The Baptistery, named after John the Baptist, is much more ancient than the cathedral. It existed at the time of the small church of Santa Reparata (4th century), and took its present form in the twelfth century. Next to the fifth largest cathedral in the world rises the bell tower. Its foundation was laid by the chief architect of the cathedral Arnolfo di Cambio. The project was designed by Giotto. He also built the first tier of this eighty-five-meter campaign. Further, his project was implemented by Andrea Pisano, and completed the creation of Francesco Talenti. Like the cathedral, the bell tower is lined with three types of precious marble. Now everyone can climb the viewing platform at the top of the bell tower. It offers breathtaking views of Florence and the surrounding hills. By the way, there is a similar platform on the dome of the cathedral.
There is another building in the Duomo complex.This is museum. This building, though secular, is also very remarkable. After all, it housed the Brunneleski workshop. In 1891 a museum was opened in this building, which you should definitely visit. After all, the Duomo Cathedral in Florence is constantly updated. The old parts of great historical and cultural value were transferred to the museum. There you can see not only the choirs that served the singers of the fifteenth century, but also much of the interior decoration of the church, the baptistery and the bell tower. A real gem of the exhibition are the models and drawings of the dome, created by Filippo Brunneleschi himself. Also noteworthy is the collection of sculptures that once adorned the facade and interiors of the temple. Among them stands the unfinished work of Michelangelo - "Madonna, mourning for Christ" (Pietta).
Go to the Duomo cathedral and admiremurals and stained glass can anyone. Entrance to the church is absolutely free. Do not be alarmed by the queue at the main gate, it moves very quickly. But to look at the dome close up, as well as climb the observation deck or descend into the crypt, where the remains of the ancient church of Santa Reparata are represented, you need to pay money. If you intend to get acquainted with the architectural complex of the Duomo, it is better to buy a single (integrated) ticket.
The Duomo is open every day.But the time when tourists can get inside varies depending on the days of the week. From Monday to Wednesday, the temple is open from half past ten to five. On Thursdays and Fridays, it closes at half past three, on Saturdays - at 16:45. On Sunday, the Santa Maria del Fiore opens only from half past one and is open until six. Entrance to the observation deck and the museum is available from 10:30 to seven daily, only on Saturday they are allowed there until 16:40. The script with the ruins of Santa Reparata can be viewed for a modest fee of three euros. The rise to the dome or to the observation platform of the bell tower costs 6. It is better to buy a single ticket. It costs a lot - thirty euros. But he acts the whole day after the first control and opens the doors to the museum, the baptistery, to the observation platforms of the campanile and the dome, the crypt, and also to the cemetery nearby.
