Highlights of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
It is the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Florence, making it the city’s foremost Catholic church. Located in the heart of the historic center, it is both literally and symbolically the center of Florence.
Santa Maria del Fiore means “Saint Mary of the Flower” and may also be connected to Flora (Flōra in Latin), the goddess of flowers from whose name Florence (Firenze) is derived. Rather than being a mere coincidence, the name may have meant “Saint Mary of the City of Flowers (Florence).”
Construction began in 1296 and, after 140 years, was finally completed in 1436.
It is the second-largest cathedral in Italy after Milan Cathedral. Along with Milan Cathedral, it is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in Italy.
The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore complex comprises not only the Duomo with its dome, but also Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistery of St. John, and the Opera del Duomo Museum.
The dome and Giotto’s Bell Tower serve as observation points overlooking Florence, making the cathedral an especially appealing visitor destination.
Comparing the dome and Giotto's Bell Tower
If time or physical stamina means you have to choose between the dome and Giotto’s Bell Tower, we recommend Giotto’s Bell Tower.
The view is similar, but the difference is that once you climb up to the dome, the dome itself is no longer visible as part of the view.
The view of the dome from Giotto’s Campanile feels more dramatic and may leave a particularly strong impression as one of the highlights of visiting Florence.
Photos with a similar composition are also often used in travel guidebooks and brochures.
Inside the Main Sanctuary
The façade’s decoration alone is breathtaking.
This mysterious vessel has quite a presence. We could not find any information about it, so it may have been part of a temporary exhibition.
This clock was created by Paolo Uccello. It has an 24-hour display, and as the arrangement of the numerals indicates, its hand moves counterclockwise.
Giotto’s Bell Tower
There is no elevator. You must climb the 414 steps on foot, in sections of 1 to 1 steps.
This is one of the highlights of visiting Florence.
This is the view facing south, with the Arno River flowing through the landscape. Piazzale Michelangelo, located halfway up the low hill visible in the distance, is also a popular viewpoint.
Shift your gaze slightly to the left in the background. The church with the white façade is the Basilica of Santa Croce.
The domed building on the right is the Basilica of San Frediano. The large rectangular building on the left is Palazzo Strozzi. The building visible beyond it is the Basilica of Santa Maria del Carmine.
This is Piazza della Repubblica, marked by its carousel. It looks like there is an entrance to a galleria (arcade), but in reality, once you pass through the gate, all you can see is the sky. It is the gate of Hotel Pendini, and the gate itself does not even have a name.
This is the Basilica of San Lorenzo. Part of the façade of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is visible in the right foreground.
The white octagonal building is the Baptistery of San Giovanni.
Baptistery of Saint John
It is an octagonal baptistery standing in front of the cathedral, known for its interior mosaics and three bronze doors. In addition to the golden ceiling mosaic introduced in the article, a replica of the eastern door, called the “Gates of Paradise,” is another major highlight of the exterior.
It is a beautiful mosaic gleaming in golden hues.
The poet Dante Alighieri, known for The Divine Comedy, is said to have been baptized here.
Dome
Next, we climb the cathedral’s dome. For a change of atmosphere, we returned after dark.
That is about 50 more steps than Giotto’s Bell Tower, for a total of 463 steps. It is also narrow and steep.
This is The Last Judgment painted on the ceiling of the dome. You can see it up close while climbing the stairs.
During the day, I also saw the Basilica of Santa Croce from Giotto’s Campanile. At night, it offers a wonderful view of its own, with the Milky Way seeming to flow through the city.
Giotto’s Bell Tower is clearly visible from the dome. It is said to have been named after its designer, Giotto di Bondone, one of the leading artists of the Early Renaissance.
Giotto’s best-known works also include the ceiling paintings in the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua.
See the article below for more information about attractions, food, and transportation in Padua.
Basic information about the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
The information below was checked against official sources on October 11, 2026. Please also check the latest information on the official website when planning your trip.
- 🔗 Official website
- Information about each facility and the passes is provided in the official visitor guide.
リンク先を開く（duomo.firenze.it）duomo.firenze.it
- 📍 Address
- Piazza del Duomo, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy
- 🕒 Admission hours
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- Cathedral Monday–Saturday 10:15–15:45. No tourist admission on Sundays or religious holidays
- Dome Monday–Friday 8:15–18:45, Saturday 8:15–16:30, Sundays and holidays 12:45–16:30 (the closing times are the final time slots)
- Giotto’s Bell Tower daily 8:15–18:45 (final time slot)
- Baptistery daily 8:30–19:30 (until 13:30 on the 1 Sunday of each month)
⚠️ Shoulders and knees must be covered in the Cathedral and Baptistery; please avoid entering in flip-flops. The Baptistery’s ceiling mosaics cannot be seen during restoration work.
- 🚫 Closed days
- The complex is closed on Easter Sunday, 12 25, and 1 1. The museum is closed on the 1 Tuesday of every month. Due to maintenance work, the Dome is closed from 2026 11 16 to 20, and the Bell Tower from 2026 11 9 to 13.
- 💶 Admission fees
- Admission to the Cathedral is free and no reservation is required. The other facilities require a pass; the ticket types are introduced in the following ticket section.
- ⏱️ Time required
- According to the official guide, allow about 45 minutes for the Dome, 30 minutes for the Baptistery, and 90 minutes for the Museum. If you combine the Cathedral, Bell Tower, and Baptistery, half a day is sufficient; to explore the complex in detail, use the pass’s validity period and spread your visit over 2 days or more.⚠️ The time required varies depending on admission queues, reserved time slots, crowded stairs, and religious events.
Tickets for the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
The standard 3 types of passes each cover different sites.
- Brunelleschi Pass Standard admission: 30 euros. Includes the dome, bell tower, museum, baptistery and Santa Reparata
- Giotto Pass Standard admission: 20 euros. Includes the bell tower, museum, baptistery and Santa Reparata
- Ghiberti Pass Standard admission: 15 euros. Includes the museum, baptistery and Santa Reparata
Each pass is valid for 3 calendar days from the selected date, and admission to each site is allowed 1 time. The Brunelleschi Pass requires a timed reservation for the dome, the Giotto Pass for the bell tower, and the Ghiberti Pass for Santa Reparata; entry is at the start time of the reserved slot. No timed reservation is required for the other included sites. Changes, cancellations, and refunds are not possible after purchase.
A named ticket and an identity document are required to enter the dome. Age-based prices are listed in the official ticket information.
Getting to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
By train and on foot
You can walk from Firenze Santa Maria Novella station to the cathedral through the historic center of Florence. The individual attractions are located around Piazza del Duomo, but each has a different entrance.
Entrance
The entrance to the dome is at Porta della Mandorla on the cathedral’s north side, the bell tower entrance is at the rear of the tower, and the museum entrance is at Piazza del Duomo 9. Visitors without a cathedral ticket enter through the main entrance, while pass holders use Porta del Campanile on the south side, which leads to Santa Reparata.
The official FAQ announces that from 9 10, the entrance to the Baptistery will be moved to the south gate (Porta Sud).
The related guide “【フィレンツェ】観光スポット・グルメ・交通・モデルコースを解説” is currently available only in Japanese.
