Florence
Florence Cathedral is a unique church: its roots lie in Antiquity, its walls originate from the Middle Ages – but its art treasures and the breathtaking cupola bear witness to an era that changed Europe forever.The cathedral contains an astonishing wealth of artworks: the baptistery with its golden mosaics and the masterful portals, Giotto’s bell tower, the fantastic visual realm of the cupola frescoes and last but not least, the groundbreaking sculptures of Donatello and Michelangelo.
But most intriguing is the story of the enormous cupola: How could a goldsmith with no experience as an architect achieve the impossible and create the largest masonry dome of all time? Filippo Brunelleschi revolutionised architecture - and nurtured a bitter rivalry with his colleague Lorenzo Ghiberti, who in turn created an unparalleled masterpiece with his “Gates of Paradise".
But the Reconquista was looming. After the "Catholic Monarchs" Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon had united, they waged the final war against Granada. After ten years of fighting, they signed a treaty with the last Emir Boabdil offering generous tolerance to Jews and Muslims. But they had long since started the Spanish Inquisition, and the spirit of tolerance wasn't going to last for long. Nevertheless, in 1492 Boabdil surrendered the keys to the Alhambra. The Nasrid dynasty had fallen.
And you will fall as well: in love with this place.
The Beginnings
On the outside fortified walls - on the inside fairytale palaces where poets once held the highest office: The Alhambra recounts the story of the last Iberian muslim dynasty between tolerance and treason, of sophisticated lifestyles under permanent threat...
Dramatic Construction Works
The thrilling story of an utterly inexperienced young goldsmith who promised to build the largest dome ever; of perplexed magnates who were asked to trust him even though he but wouldn’t tell them how he was going to do it; and of their solution which would create a dramatic rivalry...
Making the Impossible Possible
A contest and the beginning of the bitter rivalry between Filippo Brunelleschi and Lorenzo Ghiberti. Brunelleschi and his fried Donatello look at antiquity with new eyes, and Filippo promises a solution to the cathedral‘s biggest problem – without telling what it is…
The Duomo after Filippo
With his ingenious solution to the problem of the dome and his new look at classical antiquity Brunelleschi made art history. But Lorenzo Ghiberti, too, created an epic masterwork - and in later centuries, other great artists left their mark on the Duomo...
Address
- Florence Cathedral
- c/ Piazza del Duomo/n
- 50122 Florence