Thursday Morning On Top of the Cupola
So we made it to the top!
Here is a great view of the campanile designed by the great pre-renaissance artist Giotto.
The next sets of photos show the views from each of the eight sides of the octagonal cupola.
West
North West
North
North East
West
North West
North
North East
East
South East
South
South West
East
South East
South
South West
The Basilica di San Lorenzo. In the background you can see the train station, and on the left is the Basilica di Santa Maria Novella.
You can see the outdoor market on the right side of San Lorenzo.
The building with the green copper roof is the two story central market.
The Basilica di Santa Maria Novella. Notice the staging on the left covering the facade of the church.
You can also see the sign for the Grand Hotel Baglioni.
The Rotonda degli Scolari (Scholars Rotunda) in the Piazza Filippo Brunelleschi.
The Synagogue.
The Basilica di Santa Croce.
The Museo Nazionale del Bargello (Bargello Museum)
Originally the Palazzo del Podestà housing the highest magistrate of the Florence City Council, this is the oldest public building in Florence.
The Palazzo della Signoria (Palazzo Vecchio) was patterned after this building.
Beginning in 1574, the Florence police chief (the bargello) was housed here and it remained the headquarters of the Florentine police until 1859.
In 1865, the Museo Nazionale del Bargello opened, displaying the largest Italian collection of gothic and Renaissance sculptures.
The Museo Nazionale del Bargello and the Badia Fiorentina.
The Badia Fiorentina is an abbey and church of the Fraternity of Jerusalem. It was the parish church of the love of Dante's life, Beatrice Portinari, and the place where he watched her at Mass.
The Piazzalle Michelangelo across the Arno River.
The Palazzo della Signoria.
Detail of the top of the tower of the Palazzo della Signoria.
Relative locations of the Piazza della Republica and our hotel.
The Church of Santa Maria del Santo Spirito ("St. Mary of the Holy Spirit") in Oltrarno (south of the Arno River.)
The Palazzo Pitti (Pitti Palace) in Oltrarno.
Fort Belvedere in Oltrarno.
The Orsanmichele (Oratory of St. Michael.)
This tower used to be part of a dungeon, but is now part of the Hotel Brunelleschi, one of the most prestigious hotels in Florence.
The Piazza della Republica.
Karen on top of the dome with the bell tower in the background.
Me on top of the dome
The next two photos are views inside the dome as we made our way back down.
The following photos are views of another storage area where they have some of the machinery that was used in building the dome.
