Corner La Trin: Renaissance Duomo of Florence

The Duomo was breathtaking. The Renaissance styling with the stripes and statues really clicked with my perspective of beauty. The huge dome loomed above the cathedral and touched the sky. The bell tower and baptistry beside the grand cathedral were just ornate till no tomorrow. The greens, blues, reds and golds that decorated these buildings were just divine. We headed inside.

The inside of the amazing church was so vast I could hardly believe I could see it all in a glimpse. It was a dark mahogany sort of colour, illuminated by the bright candles. There were tapestries of various saints and people, and statues too. The huge dome, on the inside, was frescoed with paintings about the Last Judgement. It was really detailed.

We went into the crypt of the old church, San Reparata. Reparata was a twelve year old girl who was persecuted for her Christianity. She was raped, tortured, abused and then decapitated. Racked with grief, the angels pushed her headless body to the South of France. Her body was found there. The remains of the old church consisted of stones and rubble, vases and pots. The mosaic floor was pretty too. I loved it.

As soon as we walked out of the crypt, we saw the tour guide for our tour. She explained some of the tapestries, who they were, what they showed, and also some of the statues. Then we went up 150 steps to the terrace.

The terrace was like a balcony on the cathedral. We saw the little people minding their own business down on the ground and all the shops. The guide told us about the church of Santa Croce, just a few kilometers away. I thought it was great.

After 300 more steps, after the tour had ended, we reached the top of the dome. I could see so much! The buildings and the river, the people and the shops. I was so high I thought I could touch the sky.

Next, we went into the baptistry. It was a small little dome, where the baptising was done. We sat there for a while, taking it all in.

The bell tower came next. Up and up we went, till we reached the top. The cool breeze was a well earned prize. We took lots of pictures and looked at lots of things, like the mountains in the distance. I waved at some people down below, and they waved back.

Last of all came the museum, a collection of sculptures from the old façade of the church. The most famous one was the Pietà by Michelangelo, of a man holding the dead Christ, flanked by two others. There were more nice ones too, of the Madonna or the saints. Paintings of Reparata, John and more saints were here too. The old façade must have been beautiful.

Finally, our trip to The Duomo ended, and we headed out to explore other part of Florence. It was truly an awesome experience at the Duomo.

Side view of the Duomo