Piazza del Duomo

We start in Florence’s most famous square. You’ll feel a lot of things upon first setting foot in Piazza del Duomo, just by looking, from any angle, at Brunelleschi’s Dome, a majestic, awe-inspiring view like no other in the world. At the time of its construction it was the biggest on earth, and even today, nearly 600 years later (it was completed in 1436), it remains the largest dome ever made out of brick.

But the cathedral and its dome are not the only things of beauty that you will find in this extraordinary square, for just opposite its steps you will see the Baptistery of San Giovanni. A little jewel of architecture, over the centuries it has seen the christening of knights and poets aplenty. Its origins are shrouded in mystery: it was once thought to have been built on the ruins of an ancient temple of the god Mars, but this theory was abandoned as more archaeological remains were unearthed over the nineteenth century.

Also in Piazza del Duomo stands Giotto’s bell-tower. At almost 85 metres high and 15 metres wide, it is living testimony to the Florentine gothic architecture of the fourteenth century; stand near its base and you will be amazed by the white, red and green marble in which it is clad. As its name suggests, it was begun in 1334 by Giotto, and upon his death was continued under the supervision of Andrea Pisano.

The Baptistery, Giotto’s bell-tower and Brunelleschi’s dome can all be visited. Booking is required for Brunelleschi’s Dome: you specify a time when you buy the ticket.