The Duomo di Firenze, the Cathedral of Florence, was built between 1296 and 1436. The cathedral is one of the largest in the world. The dome was the world's largest when it was completed in 1436 and still towers over the city. The lantern on top of the dome was added later, in 1461, by Michelozzi Michelozzo. The dome, a marvel of engineering, was designed by Florentine architect Filippo Brunelleschi, who submitted his plans after he went to Rome to study the Pantheon, which long had the world's largest dome. Brunelleschi managed to create the enormous dome without supports thanks to an ingenious design which consisted of an inner shell made of bricks with a herringbone pattern and a horizontal stone chain, which reduced stress and allowed the weight to be evenly distributed. The outer shell supports the roof and protects the inner shell from the elements. Between the two shells is a staircase, which leads visitors to the base of the lantern.
The Cathedral of Florence, officially known as Cattedrale Santa Maria del Fiore but better known as the Duomo, was originally planned in 1296 as a Gothic cathedral by Arnolfo di Cambio. Francesco Talenti, who lead the construction of the cathedral from 1351 on increased its size even more by expanding the apses and extending the nave. Filippo Brunelleschi - the most important architect of the early Renaissance - designed the Duomo's most striking feature, the enormous dome. Construction of the church would last until 1436 when it was consecrated by pope Eugene IV. The magnificent marble cladding that we see today was only added much later, between 1871 and 1887, in a neo-Gothic style with colorful patterns. As a result the facade nicely complements the design of the cathedral's fourteenth-century bell tower.
The Piazza della Repubblica was created at the end of the nineteenth century as part of an ambitious project to redevelop the historic center of Florence. Its most impressive sight, the Arcone, a triumphal arch, was designed by Vincenzo Micheli. The inscription that dominates the arch reads as follows: L'ANTICO CENTRO DELLA CITTÀ DA SECOLARE SQUALLORE A VITA NUOVA RESTITUITO (The ancient centre of the city / restored from age-old squalor / to new life)
