Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence Jun 27, 2024

Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence

Welcome to Florence, the cradle of the Renaissance. Let the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore transport you through time. More than just a church, this Gothic structure, with its red-tiled dome, is steeped in centuries of history. Built over an older cathedral, construction began in 1296 under the supervision of architect Arnolfo di Cambio. Italian architect Filippo Brunelleschi engineered its dome, the largest brick dome ever constructed. Its completion in 1436 was the final stage of the cathedral"s construction. It"s not just the outside that dazzles; inside there are artistic treasures to discover, from Giorgio Vasari"s fresco "The Last Judgment" to Paolo Uccello"s intricate clock face. The cathedral complex is also home to the Baptistery, a small basilica, and Giotto"s Campanile, a free-standing bell tower.

© Elena Pueyo/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Jun 27, 2018In search of roadside attractions on ‘America’s Highway’
Jun 27, 2019The roots of invention
Jun 27, 2020Looking for peace on the precipice
Jun 27, 2021Bathing in the light of Pride
Jun 27, 2022Lavender fields on the Valensole Plateau in Provence, France
Jun 27, 2023Sedona, Arizona
Jun 27, 2025Splendid leaf frog
Jun 27, 2026Driftwood on Boneyard Beach, Hunting Island, South Carolina

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Feb 21, 2024Yosemite National Park, California
Jul 13, 2019Batten down the hatches
Dec 19, 2022Northern cardinal in winterberry bush
Mar 31, 2018Cherry blossoms at the National Mall, Washington, DC
May 19, 2026Formentor Lighthouse, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
Dec 20, 2021Ministry of Fun Santa School
Jul 12, 2019The ‘Night of Nights’
Oct 8, 2025World Octopus Day
Oct 21, 2022Bald cypress trees in Georgia
Feb 18, 2021A river runs through it
Mar 5, 2026Evening over Göreme, Cappadocia, Türkiye
Jan 11, 2024Eurasian lynx
Jul 11, 2019Evidence of human habitation
Jun 12, 2019A big birthday for Big Bend
Aug 21, 2026Winding road of Julier Pass, Switzerland
Jan 9, 2025Remembering Jimmy Carter
Dec 23, 2021Festivus
Feb 6, 2023Fiordland National Park, New Zealand
Apr 18, 2022Square Tower House in Mesa Verde National Park
Mar 28, 2020The meeting point of the winds
Feb 25, 2019High above the reef
Oct 27, 2023Sligachan Old Bridge, Isle of Skye, Scotland
Sep 18, 2025Dunquin Pier, County Kerry, Ireland
Apr 27, 2024National Go Birding Day
Aug 23, 2025St. Barbaras Cathedral, Kutná Hora, Czechia
Nov 25, 2020A dying breed of tree thrives in an American park
Jun 13, 2019A unique elephant encounter in Nantes
May 22, 2023International Day for Biodiversity
Feb 26, 2019Snow on the temple
Apr 28, 2020Happy 800th, Salisbury Cathedral