Santa Maria del Fiore
The
cathedral or Dome of Florence such as we see it today is the result of
a long work which crossed more than six centuries of history. The basic
architectural plan is that drawn by Arnolfo di Cambio at the end of
XIIIème century; the cupola, become a symbol for all Tuscany, is the
fruit of the genius of the Rebirth, Filippo Brunelleschi, while the
frontage supplementing the building was supplemented only at the end of
the XIXème century.
All
the structural and decorative interventions were carried out between
these two periods, as well outside as inside and enriched the history
by the monument: that goes from the construction of the two sacristies
on the marble ground of XVIème century, of the realization of the
sculptures to that of the signed frescos of Paolo Uccello, Andrea del
Castagno, Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari (the Universal Judgement
of the cupola).
The cathedral
Of a 153 meters length, that is to say 23 meters more than Our-Lady-of-Paris, and of a width of 38 meters, the Gothic building is dominated by an octagonal cupola culminating with 115 90 meters broad meters, built between 1420 and 1434 by Filippo Brunelleschi.
The church of Santa Maria del Fiore is the cathedral of Florence. It is the fourth church of Europe by its size, after Saint-Pierre of Rome, Saint-Paul in London and the cathedral of Milan. Its plan particular, is composed of a body of basilica with three naves welded with a bedside in trefoil arch which supports the immense cupola. It is the largest cupola out of apparatus built ever built. One can see, inside, one of the largest narrative frescos: 3.600 m2 of frescos, carried out between 1572 and 1579 by Giorgio Vasari and Frederico Zuccari.
The construction, started on the old foundations of the church Santa Reparata, in 1296 by Arnolfo di Cambio, was continued by Giotto of 1334 (which will start only the construction of the Bell-tower) until its death in 1337. Francesco Talenti and Giovanni di Lapo Ghini will continue construction in 1357.
In 1412, its name was changed into Santa Maria del Fiore, making thus clearly allusion to the lily, symbol of the city. The church was devoted on March 25 of the year 1436, at the end of work of the cupola of Brunelleschi, by the Pope Eugenio IV. At present, it is the cathedral of the archdiocese of Florence.
At the end of XIIIème century, “Platea Episcopalis”, the episcopal whole of Florence, presented the three buildings which still make it up, at the space relations and reports/ratios completion different.
The current place San Giovanni was hardly more than one widened street making the turn of the baptistry of San Giovanni, which was then the true heart of the unit. It was just supplemented by its attic and its roof out of marble in the shape of octagonal pyramid. In the east, crossed at once the “Door of the Paradise”, which was not decorated yet its doors out of bronze made by Ghiberti, appears the threshold of the church of Santa Reparata which had at its Eastern end a true harmonic heart provided with two bell-towers.
As crowning of this “Platea Episcopalis” draws up also the old church of San Michele Visdomini, later moved more in the north, which was on the same axis Baptistère - Dome, as well as the oldest Florentin hospital. In the south draw up the dwellings of the canons, organized around a central cloister. On this line a significant number of sanctuaries is found, which leaves me think that it belongs to the crowned lines.
The cathedral of Santa Reparata, although old and venerated, is not appropriate any more as a church of a city in strong expansion, rich person and powerful, which has just regulated its accounts with its rival, His, and imposed its hegemony on a chaotic chess-board Tuscan. Santa Reparata is described by Villani like “Good too much the coarse and small shape in comparison of a city if established” and in the communal documents like “collapsing by its extreme state”.
As in other religious structures, the seat of the government of the Republic of Florence is held to with it, and finally, in 1294, it decides the rebuilding of the church with dimensions such as it must eclipse the cathedrals of the unfavourable cities, of which Pisa and His.
The cardinal Pietro Valeriano, papal legate Bonfiface VIII, solemnly poses the first stone of the new basilica during the festival of the nativity of the Virgin in 1296. The construction of the building was a vast project which lasted at least 170 years (much more if one takes account of the end of the construction of the frontage of the XIXème century), to which will take part of many important artists. She was in the center of the collective efforts of many generations.
Under the cathedral of difficult work of excavation were realized between 1965 and 1974. The underground zone of the cathedral was used to bury the évèques ones of Florence during centuries.
The
archaeological history of this zone was reconstituted recently,
according to the remainders of Roman dwellings and pavements
paléo-Christians until the ruins of the old cathedral Santa Reparata.
One reaches the excavations by a scale in the nave of left.
The baptistry
Place of worship constuit between 5th and XIIIème century now dedicated to saint Jean Baptiste - patron saint of Florence - and whose tradition claims that it is an old Roman temple dedicated to the god Mars.
It underwent important modifications in XIème and XIIème centuries. This octagonal building is completely covered with white and green marble to the geometrical reasons. The interior walls are decorated with Byzantine mosaics artists florentins carried out in XIIIème century.
The most known works of the baptistry are the three bronze doors decorated by Andrea Pisano and Lorenzo Ghiberti, known as “the doors of the paradise”.
Inside, a baptistry draws the attention, as well as the pavement which seems to indicate quelquechose to us. The atmosphere is serene there, in spite of the visitors.
The bell-tower
It was built between 1334 and 1359 by Giotto, first architect of the Bell-tower which will direct the building site of 1334 to 1337 - year of its death - and will carry out only the lower carved register of the building. It is composed of seven hexagonal panels on with dimensions the west, south and is, representing the walk of the man towards the perfection. The seven figure is the biblical symbol this objective.