Florence, Cathedral

(2 photos)

The outstanding Gothic Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Saint Mary of the Flowers, 1294-1436), faced on the exterior with white, green and red tile, is one of the world’s largest cathedrals. For reasons we can not imagine, we have not yet climbed the 464 steps to the top of 348 foot high Cathedral dome, but we have climbed the 412 steps to the top of the 269 foot high Campanile next to the Cathedral. We were rewarded with views of red tile as far as we could see, every shape of roof and tower imaginable. From high above the city, the narrow congested streets are lined with venerable tall buildings with green shutters and sloping eaves.

The building on the left side of this photo, is the several floors-high octagonal Battistero (Baptistry). The interior is majestic and grand, decorated in black and white marble with an oriental motif. The East Door, facing the Duomo, was so beautiful it was called “The Gate to Paradise” by Michelangelo. (A full-size copy of the door is located at the Forest Lawn Cemetery, Glendale, Calif.)
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South of the Arno River and high on the hill overlooking Florence, Piazzale Michelangiolo is a viewpoint for an overlook of the city. Right next door, with the same exquisite view, Campeggio Comunale, is a campsite where we have spent several nights over the past 35 years (we've visited Florence 5 times). During a couple of those years, from Camping Panoramico in Fiesole, high on the hill to the north of the city, we looked over the Arno River Valley with the domes and towers of Florence spread out below. We were at least a thousand feet above the city, with a magnificent view.