Florence Cathedral history in short
The foundation stone of Santa Maria del Fiore was laid on 8 September 1296. The first design was by Arnolfo di Cambio. From the middle of the 14th century Francesco Talenti enlarged the project. Brunelleschi's dome followed between 1420 and 1436, and the cathedral was consecrated on 25 March 1436 by Pope Eugene IV.
The cathedral you see today is the work of several phases that did not happen at the same time. A medieval start, a Renaissance dome, a painted interior of the late 1500s and a neo-Gothic facade of the 19th century all belong to one building. If you want to see these layers with a guide, look at the guided Duomo tours.
Timeline of the Duomo complex
The main dates for the cathedral, the bell tower, the baptistery and the museum.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| Early 5th century | An older basilica, Santa Reparata, stands on the site |
| 1059 | Consecration of the baptistery |
| 8 September 1296 | Foundation stone of the new cathedral, first design by Arnolfo di Cambio |
| 1334 | Work on the bell tower begins under Giotto |
| Mid-14th century | Francesco Talenti enlarges the cathedral project |
| 1359 | Bell tower completed under Talenti |
| 1379 | The old Santa Reparata basilica is demolished |
| 1420 to 1436 | Brunelleschi's dome is built |
| 25 March 1436 | Consecration by Pope Eugene IV |
| 1443 | Paolo Uccello's clock is commissioned |
| 1572 to 1579 | Vasari and Zuccari paint the Last Judgment in the dome |
| 1871 to 1884 | Works on the neo-Gothic facade by Emilio De Fabris; completed in 1887 |
| 1891 | The museum is founded; it was redesigned in 2015 |
| 1965 to 1973 | Excavations under the cathedral floor uncover Santa Reparata |
If you only have time for one layer, take the dome. For most visitors the climb or the view of the Last Judgment from the inside gives the clearest sense of how the building was finished. See the dome climb page for steps and booking.
Our pick: the history on a guided walk
Our take: a guide links the cathedral's history with the rest of the old town.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Florence Duomo tours and passes
Guided visits of the dome, the cathedral and the baptistery with museum, with live prices and availability.
Arnolfo and the long medieval build
Arnolfo di Cambio drew the first plan, and the foundation stone went down on 8 September 1296. The project was enlarged from the middle of the 14th century under Francesco Talenti, who also finished Giotto's Bell Tower in 1359. The tower itself began in 1334 under Giotto. After his death Andrea Pisano continued the work, so it is wrong to say that Giotto built the whole tower.
Beneath all of this lay the older basilica of Santa Reparata, which stood from the early 5th century and was demolished in 1379. Its remains were excavated from 1965 to 1973 and can be visited under the cathedral floor with a pass. The inside page describes what is down there.
Brunelleschi and the dome, 1420 to 1436
The dome was built from 1420 to 1436 to Filippo Brunelleschi's plan. It is a huge masonry double shell, and the builders worked without continuous wooden centering. The cathedral was consecrated in 1436, but consecration did not mean that the decoration was finished. The fresco inside the dome came later.
That fresco is the Last Judgment, painted by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari between 1572 and 1579, on an area of 3,600 m². It is not by Michelangelo. His Pietà Bandini stands in the museum.
The facade of the 19th century
The marble facade is a neo-Gothic design by Emilio De Fabris. The works ran from 1871 to 1884, and it was completed in 1887. So the front of the cathedral is much younger than the dome behind it.
The baptistery in front of the cathedral has a longer past. It was consecrated in 1059, and a tradition links its site to an older Roman temple of Mars. That is a tradition, not a proven origin. The baptistery page has the current restoration and the doors.
The museum, founded in 1891 and redesigned in 2015, now keeps the original bronze doors of the baptistery, among other works. Visitors often assume that the doors on the square are the originals, but they are not.
For the wider story of Florence beyond the Duomo, the history of Ponte Vecchio covers the other side of the Arno.
Keep reading
Florence Cathedral facts
Dome diameter, lengths, steps and marble colours, with what each figure measures.
Inside the cathedral
The Last Judgment, the clock, the floor and the ruins of Santa Reparata.
Museo dell'Opera del Duomo
Original doors, Donatello's Mary Magdalene and Michelangelo's Pietà Bandini.
Florence Cathedral history: frequently asked questions
When was Florence Cathedral built?
The foundation stone was laid on 8 September 1296. The dome was built from 1420 to 1436 and the cathedral was consecrated on 25 March 1436. The facade followed in the 19th century.
Who designed the cathedral?
Arnolfo di Cambio made the first design. Francesco Talenti enlarged it from the middle of the 14th century, Brunelleschi designed the dome, and Emilio De Fabris designed the neo-Gothic facade.
Did Michelangelo paint the dome?
No. The Last Judgment in the dome was painted by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari from 1572 to 1579. Michelangelo's Pietà Bandini is in the museum.
When was the facade finished?
The facade works ran from 1871 to 1884, and it was completed in 1887. The bell tower, started under Giotto in 1334, was finished in 1359.
What was on the site before the cathedral?
An older basilica, Santa Reparata, stood there from the early 5th century. It was demolished in 1379. Its remains can be visited under the floor.
Is this the official website of Florence Cathedral?
No. This is an independent visitor guide with no connection to the cathedral, its foundation, the museum or the city of Florence.