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.
Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence
Today in History
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Celebrating Norwegian Constitution Day
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Pollinator Week
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Flag Day
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Porto, Portugal
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National Lighthouse Day
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Craters of the Moon centennial
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Noctilucent clouds
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Lighting the way to new beginnings
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National Park Service Founders Day
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In the Red Sea for World Dolphin Day
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Big Bend National Park turns 78
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Nighttime view over the Gulf Coast
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Celebrating Native American Heritage Day
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Gunnerside, Yorkshire Dales National Park, England
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Fallen but not forgotten
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Rising up from the black sand like rock gods
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A long winter’s nap, perhaps?
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Celebrating the first day of spring
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Coming home to roost
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International Beaver Day
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Honoring the fallen
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Art Basel Miami Beach
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Corn maze in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania
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The Bahamas as seen from the ISS
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International Jazz Day
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Hollywood s big night
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Snow buntings take flight
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Composite of photographs from the Apollo 15 mission
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To the 155th on the 155th
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The confluence of the Arve and Rhône Rivers
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