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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In search of roadside attractions on ‘America’s Highway’
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The roots of invention
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Looking for peace on the precipice
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Bathing in the light of Pride
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Lavender fields on the Valensole Plateau in Provence, France
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Sedona, Arizona
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Splendid leaf frog
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Driftwood on Boneyard Beach, Hunting Island, South Carolina
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Horsetail Fall in Yosemite National Park, California
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Bormio, Lombardy, Italy
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A winter’s holiday ends
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National Cherry Blossom Festival
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Whooper swans in Lake Kussharo, Japan
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Sunrise at Lake Atitlán, Guatemala
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American bison
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World Jellyfish Day
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Constitution Day and Citizenship Day
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Cross this bridge if you dare
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Big dreams require a big sleigh
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International Day of the World s Indigenous Peoples
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Put your flippers in the air…
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Big Bend National Park turns 78
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What are these creatures?
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Hey, don t you guys have somewhere to be?
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Swimming into the season
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A light on National Hispanic Heritage Month
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A reflection of Europe s past
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Happy 800th, Salisbury Cathedral
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Canada Day
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The Great Blue Hole, Belize
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National Fossil Day
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Río Arazas in Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park, Spain
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Perseid meteor shower over Tenerife, Spain
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Cherry blossoms at Tom McCall Waterfront Park, Portland, Oregon
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Village of Santa Maddalena, Dolomites, Italy
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Darwin Day
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Let the games begin
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A water loch-ed castle
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