# Florence Cathedral (Santa Maria del Fiore) > Santa Maria del Fiore, the Duomo, is Florence's cathedral, crowned by Brunelleschi's red dome — the largest brick dome in the world. The cathedral itself is free; the dome climb, Giotto's bell tower, the Baptistery and the museum are on a paid combined ticket with a timed booking. Allow about two hours with the dome. Web page: https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/florence-cathedral - City: [Florence](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence), Italy - YesGo score: 60/100 (Yes, go) - Time on site: 2 h - Entry: Free; dome paid - Opening hours: Cathedral by day, limited on Sundays; dome by booking - With kids: Fine with kids - Cathedral: Free, queue at the door - Dome: Combined ticket with a timed slot - Steps: 463 to the top of the dome, no lift - Complex: Dome, bell tower, Baptistery, museum, crypt - Time needed: About 2 hours with the dome - Location: Piazza del Duomo, 10 minutes from the station - Coordinates: 43.77306, 11.25694 - Facts checked: 11.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1296** — Arnolfo di Cambio began the cathedral (source: English Wikipedia) - **1420–1436** — Brunelleschi built the dome (source: English Wikipedia) - **≈ 45 m** — across — the largest brick dome ever built (source: English Wikipedia) - **463** — steps to the top of the dome (source: English Wikipedia) - **1887** — the marble façade was completed (source: English Wikipedia) ## A short history The cathedral was begun in **1296** to designs by **Arnolfo di Cambio**, on the site of the old church of Santa Reparata; the wealthy Florentine Republic wanted the largest, most beautiful church in Tuscany. The walls rose for nearly a century, but a huge gap remained over the crossing — no one knew how to span some 45 m without wooden centring, for which there simply wasn't enough timber. **Filippo Brunelleschi**, a goldsmith turned engineer, found the answer. In **1420–1436** he raised a double-shelled **dome**, laying bricks in a herringbone pattern so they held themselves up, and invented new hoisting machines to build it. It became the symbol of the Renaissance and remains the **largest brick dome** in the world. The coloured marble façade was finished only in **1887**. ## Façade and interior Outside, the cathedral is clad in patterns of **white Carrara, green and pink marble**, matching Giotto's bell tower and the Baptistery to form one ensemble. Inside it's surprisingly austere and vast. The inner dome is covered by the huge **Last Judgement** fresco by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari; over the entrance is Paolo Uccello's 15th-century one-handed clock, running anticlockwise; and beneath the floor the **crypt** holds remains of ancient Santa Reparata. ## What to see - **Brunelleschi's dome** — the climb and the view from the top. - **The Last Judgement fresco** — up close from the dome gallery. - **The marble façade** — white, green and pink. - **Uccello's clock** — above the entrance inside. - **Santa Reparata crypt** — the ancient church below. - **Duomo Museum** — original statues and the Gates of Paradise. > **Climbing the dome** 463 steps climb narrow stairs between the dome's two shells, with no lift. On the way you see the Last Judgement fresco up close from an inner gallery, and the top offers views over the whole city and the Tuscan hills. Book your climb time ahead — slots sell out days in advance in season. ## Tickets and rules The cathedral is **free**, though the queue can be long by day. **Combined passes** for the dome, Giotto's bell tower, the Baptistery, the museum and the crypt are sold on the official Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore site, with a timed slot for the dome; the pass is valid over several days. Shoulders and knees must be covered and large bags aren't allowed. The dome climb isn't advised for those with heart conditions or claustrophobia — the stairs are steep and tight. Giotto's bell tower next door, at 414 steps, gives a similar view with a shorter queue. ## How to get there 1. From **Santa Maria Novella** station, 10 minutes on foot along Via dei Panzani. 2. It stands on Piazza del Duomo beside the [Baptistery](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/florence-baptistery) and [Giotto's Campanile](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/giottos-campanile). 3. From [Piazza della Signoria](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/piazza-della-signoria), 5 minutes along Via dei Calzaiuoli. 4. From the [Galleria dell'Accademia](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/galleria-dell-accademia), 7 minutes' walk. ## Is Florence Cathedral worth it? Yes — it's the symbol of Florence and of the Renaissance. Even without the climb, walk around the outside and step in for free. The dome climb is one of Italy's great experiences: you walk inside Brunelleschi's ingenious structure and emerge on the roof of the city. Book a morning slot before the heat. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Book a dome climb slot - [ ] Cover shoulders and knees - [ ] Leave big backpacks at the hotel - [ ] Bring water — 463 steps - [ ] Visit the Baptistery and bell tower on the same pass ## Florence's churches: compare and choose Churches and basilicas in Florence rated by YesGo. - [Florence Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/florence-cathedral) — YesGo score 60/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h · Free; dome paid - [Santa Croce](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/santa-croce) — YesGo score 50/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Paid - [Santa Maria Novella](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/santa-maria-novella) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Paid - [Florence Baptistery](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/florence-baptistery) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Combined cathedral pass - [Basilica of San Lorenzo](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/san-lorenzo) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Paid - [Orsanmichele](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/orsanmichele) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free - [Santo Spirito](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/santo-spirito) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free - [Medici Chapels](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/medici-chapels) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Paid - [San Miniato al Monte](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/san-miniato) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free - [Brancacci Chapel](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/brancacci-chapel) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Paid, timed entry - [Giotto's Campanile](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/giottos-campanile) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Combined cathedral pass ## Piazza del Duomo in half a day The cathedral and dome, the Baptistery, Giotto's Campanile and a walk to Piazza della Signoria. 1. [Florence Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/florence-cathedral) — YesGo score 60/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h · Free; dome paid 2. [Florence Baptistery](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/florence-baptistery) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Combined cathedral pass 3. [Giotto's Campanile](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/giottos-campanile) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Combined cathedral pass 4. [Piazza della Signoria](https://yesgo.io/italy/florence/piazza-della-signoria) — YesGo score 53/100 (Yes, go) · 40 min · Free ## Don't mix it up Florence's Duomo isn't Milan's — "duomo" just means a city's main cathedral. Florence's has Brunelleschi's red dome; Milan's is white and Gothic. ## Tips - The cathedral is free. - Book the dome slot ahead. - 463 steps, no lift. - Cover shoulders and knees. ## Questions ### Is Florence Cathedral free? Yes, the cathedral itself; the dome, bell tower, Baptistery and museum are on a combined ticket. ### How many steps to the top of the dome? 463, with no lift. ### Who built the dome? Filippo Brunelleschi, between 1420 and 1436. ### Do I need to book the dome? Yes, you choose a climb time when buying; book days ahead in season. ### How long do you need? About two hours including the dome climb. ## How we checked History, dome and interior from English Wikipedia. Prices and booking rules weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia, Florence Cathedral; Brunelleschi's Dome - Official site duomo.firenze.it (Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore) --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.