Duomo - Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore

Duomo - Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore

Duomo - Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore
4.5
Historic SitesReligious SitesChurches & Cathedrals
10:15 AM - 3:45 PM
Monday
10:15 AM - 3:45 PM
Tuesday
10:15 AM - 3:45 PM
Wednesday
10:15 AM - 3:45 PM
Thursday
10:15 AM - 3:45 PM
Friday
10:15 AM - 3:45 PM
Saturday
10:15 AM - 3:45 PM
Sunday
Closed
About
The cathedral's iconic dome was an architectural feat designed by famed Renaissance architect Brunelleschi. Climb 463 steps to the cupola for panoramic views of Florence.
Duration: < 1 hour
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The area

Address
Neighborhood: Duomo
Florentia, as it was called by Latins, is permeated by an eternal beauty spread in all corners of the city. The historic center is characterized by the immensity of the Duomo, able to transport tourists into the brightest age of Florence: the Renaissance. Who does not know the Brunelleschi Dome, San Giovanni Baptistery and the Giotto’s Campanile? Everything is enclosed here and it would be easy to imagine the city as it was in ancient times, with maids walking in the main square and horses carrying coaches. Nowadays, roads are busy with street artists. Rustic Tuscan bakeries give way to fashion shops; just stop for a few minutes in the middle of Piazza della Repubblica to enjoy the colors and sweet melody of the carousel that will bring back great memories from anyone’s childhood.
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  • Viaggioevolo
    Italy6,614 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A masterpiece
    In the center of Florence, the church with its imposing and beautiful facade stands out for the color of its marble: white, red and green with geometric figures and stylized flowers. Of the church, Brunelleschi's dome is famous and can be visited, which can be observed from the back of the church or you can go up and observe it up close and Giotto's bell tower (which can also be visited). The complex is, in my opinion, a true masterpiece of Florentine art from the 1300s.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written February 16, 2024
  • KH
    London, United Kingdom676 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Symbols of Florence
    The huge dome roof, which can be said to be the symbol of Florence, is very conspicuous. I bought tickets to climb both the Duomo and Giotto's Bell Tower. Neither has elevators, so you have to climb with determination, but I think both are worth climbing. The Duomo has a slope that changes so you can see that you are climbing the dome, so the climb itself is fun, and you can also enjoy the ceiling paintings from a relatively close distance (although you do have to hurry). At Giotto's Bell Tower, you can take photos with the Duomo in the frame, but it is completely covered with wire mesh, and the mesh is quite fine, so it seems a little difficult to take wide-angle photos with a large lens. This can be avoided if you have a small lens such as a smartphone.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written February 26, 2024
  • FashionSpeedTravel
    Oakland, California193 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful and tourist- worthy
    The outside of the church on the piazza is so pleasant and beautiful, even in the rain. The respite inside, with the glorious altar and warm candle glow, is comforting. Spent less than an hour inside but if you’re a church buff (or Catholic), it’s worth taking in a service.
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written March 5, 2024
  • Dominik z Rybnika
    Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany463 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Santa Maria del Fiore
    The cathedral is incredibly beautiful, its cladding and numerous decorations on the facade can be contemplated for hours. Every detail, every figurine, even every marble block is made with love of art. This is certainly one of the main treasures of our planet. Its bulky dome is worth a separate story. The only thing is that the interior decoration can be discouraging against the backdrop of such external splendor.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written March 9, 2024
  • HeleneA636
    760 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    The city's artwork!
    An amazing building that we saw almost everywhere we went. The outside is like a large painting. We chose to stand in line, about 30 minutes and went inside. Much to see on the inside as well. Some of the gang even went up the tower and saw the fantastic view from there.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written March 17, 2024
  • Hany G
    Egypt2,078 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful!
    It is a wonderful church with astonishing architecture. It is the landmark of florence that you have to visit. There is a long queue to get in, and it is free. The interior is kind of disappointing. Inside the church is plain and doesn't match the wowo effect of the exterior. I recommend getting a skip the line ticket with a tour to climb the dumo terrace and enjoy the viee
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written March 24, 2024
  • Addy2803
    Wiesbaden, Germany127 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful building from the outside. Rather poor from the inside... :(
    A great building that radiates a certain mysticism throughout Florence. The cathedral and its famous dome can be seen from almost anywhere in the city. BUT: the building is more beautiful from the outside than from the inside. The interior was surprisingly bare and not very spectacular. There weren't even any candles to light! 23 minutes in the queue including security checks were unfortunately not worth it. :(
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written March 31, 2024
  • tosl
    Jersey City, New Jersey1,003 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great acoustics for High Mass
    After Baroque Rome, the interior of the Duomo is a bit underwhelming. Unless one is climbing the Dome, which books up months in advance, the exterior is worth the views, but the interior is skippable. It does, however, have outstanding acoustics, so it is amazing to hear High Mass or a concert.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written April 4, 2024
  • roberto
    1,163 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Masterpiece
    We tried to visit it for two days in a row but the unnerving queue of hours and hours before us made us give up, also taking into account the external heat of 27 degrees. Seen from the outside, however, the Duomo is a more unique than rare architectural masterpiece. We promised ourselves to return in another season to visit it inside, perhaps starting to queue outside very early in the morning..
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written April 12, 2024
  • madeline
    Asheville, North Carolina56 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Do the Rooftop Tours
    We skipped the long lines of people waiting for entry and opted for a back door tour that allowed us to climb to the top of the Duomo. We were able to see the cathedral, get a close up of the dome, and then walk around the roof. The climb was very steep and narrow. I would not recommend it to someone who has trouble climbing stairs or is claustrophobic. There were lots of children completing the climb with no problem. There were points to stop off and take a break or let others pass.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 12, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Игорь К
Riga, Latvia4,235 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2024 • Couples
Santa Maria del Fiori, the Florentine Duomo, is a huge Gothic building built on the site of the 7th-century church of Saint Apparatus, and the remains of this Saint can still be seen in the crypt. The church was built at the end of the 13th century, although the colossal dome above it was not built until the 15th century, and the facade was not completed until the 19th century. The exterior of the church is made of shades of pink, white and green marble; the interior is strict and simple. The clock above the western entrance of the room was designed by Paolo Uccello in 1443, according to ora italica, according to which the 24th hour of the day ends at dawn.
Built by Filippo Brunelleschi, who won a competition for this commission in 1418, the dome is egg-shaped and no scaffolding was used in its construction. The masonry technique used by the Christmas tree was borrowed from the Romans (their Pantheon). The best way to see the dome is to climb the 463 steps. This path will follow the interior, where you can see Vasari's frescoes "The Last Judgment" (1572–1579) and then - towards the lantern, which offers fantastic views. It should be noted that tickets should be bought in advance, with a pre-selected time, otherwise not only everyone will get on the dome. I also recommend taking a comprehensive ticket, which includes the viewing platform, the cathedral itself, the Duomo Museum, the Baptistry and the Giotto Bell Tower.
Automatically translated
Written October 27, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Caitlin
Tampa, FL74 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2024 • Family
We bought the Brunelleschi pass through the Florence city website, and it was well worth the extra cost for this all-inclusive pass. Admission included the tower climb, the Duomo museum, and the bell tower. It did not include a tour guide, so our climb was self-guided but we did not find this to be a problem. The climb is narrow and small, with some tricky spiral staircases, but we did not find the 463 steps to be particularly difficult. I normally do not enjoy lengthy uphill ascents, but there were enough places to stop and rest that it was a pleasant climb. If you are especially claustrophobic or apprehensive about heights, this activity may not be for you.

I recommend that you go EARLY to avoid crowds and heat. We did the first climb of the day at 8:30am and it was well worth it. Then we went to the Duomo museum afterwards for more information.
Written July 23, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Brad
Hong Kong, China181,147 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Family
Duomo itself is free to enter and is open from 10.15am to 3.45pm daily (closed on Sundays). Do expect long queues as they try to manage the flow of visitors within the church. We arrived around 10.30am during a midweek visit last month and found the queue extending around the church quite some distance already. After a 20 minute wait we were able to enter the church.

Unfortunately, as impressive as the Duomo exterior is with the delightful red, green and white marble patterns which are a signature of Florentine Gothic architecture, the interior is a mostly large empty space. There are artworks on the side of the main nave but the vast majority of the interior is roped off. You can only view from great distance as you follow the roped in tunnel path towards the inner cupola viewing area From here you can look up and see the inner cupola frescos of Brunelleschi's Dome. which is quite impressive from ground level. Afterwards, you have finished your visit within the free area of Duomo and exit through the side entrance to continue whatever sightseeing endeavours you may have at or around Piazza dell Duomo and Piazza di San Giovanni.

Note: If you purchase one of the Duomo Passes, that include access to the Dome, Baptistry and church museum, I believe you can skip the long queue to enter the church. Instead, use the side entrance showing your Pass. They were letting pass holders in at this location on the day we visited.
Written April 14, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TravelingSoccerLoon
Saint Paul, MN7,941 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Couples
Florence Cathedral better known as the Duomo is a spectacular sight. Construction began in 1296 in the Gothic style architecture and was completed in 1436 when topped with the dome designed by Filippo Brunelleschi. While the interior of the cathedral isn't overly interesting to see, the facade on the exterior is gorgeous. However, the highlight is the iconic dome which was an engineering marvel when completed as it was the largest dome ever constructed in Western Europe at the time. It is free to enter the church but arrive early not long after opening to avoid waiting in a long line. The 463-step climb to the top of the dome is strenuous but is so worth it as the views are spectacular. A timed entry ticket should be purchased in advance. I purchased the Brunelleschi Pass that allows entry to all the sights at the Piazza del Duomo and is good for 3 days from initial use. The only sight that requires a timed entry is the Climb to the top of the Duomo. Do that first and you can then spread out seeing the other sights over the remaining days. We arrived not long after opening and climbed the dome at 9am and then went inside the cathedral and crypt without much wait. We then climbed Giotto's Bell Tower with only a 15-minute wait and had completed all of this by 11:30am.
Written January 1, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Zoe
13 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Family
Buy your ticket before going there--you will get stuck in an endless queue otherwise, even in April, which you'd think is not high season. We were glad we had our tickets, especially as we visited on a drizzly day.
The building and plaza all around are just so beautiful. Visiting the inside of the building was a bit of a letdown, especially after visiting Santa Croce the day before. In S. Croce, you can walk anywhere inside, all the way up to paintings, tombs, etc. At the Duomo, all the area directly close to anything on the walls is cordoned off, unless you are part of a group, and so you, if you visit on your own, you can admire things only from the central alley/hub inside the place. How disappointing.
We had also bought tickets to visit the baptistery, a few steps across from the Duomo. Disappointment again, as all the ceiling is being worked on (repaired??), and so you can only admire all the scaffolds! The floor's tile work is very pretty though, as is too the bit of wall paintings that is visible.
Written June 11, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Coffee shop man
West Horsley, UK68 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2024 • Couples
Probably the most impressive exterior of a cathedral I’ve ever seen. Visited in November so the queue took 5mins to get in and it’s free to visit the main part. It probably would have been better to have a guided tour to really understand the place. The inside was underwhelming compared to the exterior and other world renowned cathedrals such as the Sagrada Família in Barcelona so be are if you have to queue for any length of time.
Written November 17, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kathryn C
Winter Garden, FL29 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • Couples
Having visited the Cathedral 20 years ago, I knew I had to see it again since we were returning to Florence for just 5 hours. And I put it on my bucket list to climb the 463 stairs at age 63 since I don't have a heart condition or respiratory disease. Start off at a steady normal (not fast) pace so you have enough energy to get to the top. I was in a long cotton skirt, but shorts would have been better because it gets hot. Highly recommend purchasing the Brunelleschi Pass ahead of time on their official website. It's 30 euros and good for 3 calendar days from the date selected to visit the dome. You get your entrance time for climbing the dome, and the pass also gets you into the Baptistery, the Opera del Duomo Museum, and Giotto's Bell Tower. No tickets are needed to enter the Cathedral.
Written September 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

eja117
New England738 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Family
I bought the "Florence: Cathedral Tickets with Brunelleschi's Dome Pass. Ticket only (No Audio Guide) through expedia for 3 people for about $185. Not for people that are significantly out of shape or very afraid of heights. There are 463 steps and no elevator and the same small hatch that lets you onto the dome is the same one to take to go back down. I didn't realize the ticket doesn't get you into the church per se. Although we had no problem getting into the baptistry even though I don't actually see that included on my ticket in the app.
The email says

Thank you for purchasing the Brunelleschi Pass, one digital ticket for five Museums:

Cupola di Brunelleschi (NB data and time Mandatory)
Museo dell’Opera del Duomo
Cathedral and Chript of Santa Reparata
Giotto Bell Tower
Baptistery of San Giovanni
In attachment your digital entry tickets for Cupola Brunelleschi (NO voucher exchange), a pdf with all the information needed for this experience and a real life photo of where the Cupola entry is. Remember to be at the entry of the Cupola (Porta della Mandorla) 10 minutes in advance on the time of your tickets.

The other museums included can be visited within 3 days starting from the date of your tickets during the opening time of each of them. You will use the attached ticket by scanning the bar code at the entrance of each museum.

IMPORTANT: Visitors must MANDATORY leave their backpacks, medium/large size bags and suitcases at the Luggage Storage in Piazza Duomo n. 38/r (opposit to the Porta della Mandorla), the service is free of charge.

There was a map in the email that was helpful.

We did like the art in the dome. The line wasn't bad at all in the morning. It is not too far from the train station.
Written May 19, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

sugapapa
Nasushiobara, Japan8,118 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2023 • Couples
This is my second time visiting. The lavishly decorated façade is in the Neo-Gothic style, completed in 1887. The white marble base is decorated with green and red marble, creating an impressive beauty. It is a representative example of late Italian Gothic and early Renaissance architecture, and can be said to be a symbol of Florence. As the name Santa Maria del Fiore (Cathedral of Our Lady of the Flower) suggests, it is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and it is said to be a unique piece of architecture in the world in that styles from the 13th century to the 19th century coexist in one building. You will never tire of looking at the details, such as the sculptures and mosaic-decorated windows, and the doors depicting the life of Mary. You can enter the inside of the cathedral for free without a reservation. You will need a ticket to enter the cupola, but I recommend climbing to the top to get a bird's-eye view of the cityscape of Florence.
Google
Written October 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

aberfitchgr534
Bolivar, OH1,988 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023
We toured the Duomo with the Brunelleschi Pass we purchased direct from the duomo website. It was $30 per person and you need to purchase in advance or it will sell out. I recommend at least 2 weeks or more in advance. Once you get your pass it starts @ the day and time of your dome tour, you must use your pass at that exact time to climb the duomo dome. You get in line on the North Side of the Duomo and at your time they open the door and let you in, you do not have to have shoulders or knees covered for this portion. They let you in a tiny door and then you begin your climb, the first part is stairs, landing, stairs, landing etc and just goes in a square for a bit, eventually you get to a small landing where you can rest if needed. Once you begin again you will go up a spiral stone stair case which will bring you out to a ledge you walk half way around the inside of the duomo and can see down to the church below. You will then go thru another small door where there are you guessed it… more stairs, the stairs become very steep once you get to the top of the dome where you go thru a trap door to the top. The views are fantastic and its worth the climb, they give you approx 15 minutes up there for pictures then usher you down the trap door to the stairs to exit. You can go at your own pace and there are a few places to rest. I work out and am in decent shape and it will still wind you, I suggest bringing some water along. I am also scared of heights but the steps are mostly enclosed so you can’t tell where you are, with the exception of the catwalk area over the inside of the church. Once we finished we headed over to tour the inside of the church and museum, knees and shoulders must be covered for Men & Women, they will let some men in if the shorts are long and knee length. The inside of the church is beautiful and the museum was interesting. We spent about 30 minutes here. We then went to the Baptistery which is under construction and only took us 5 minutes. The Pass also included the Giottos Bell Tower Climb, but we had just did the other climb and its the same view, if you only do one, do the duomo climb. Well organized and nice.
Written June 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Duomo - Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence

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