After four days in Rome we took the train up to Florence.

On the streets of Florence (apparently with a car about to run me down!):

First stop in Florence was the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, the cathedral or Duomo as it’s called. The Duomo was constructed over a period of over a hundred years on the site of Saint Reparata, a church dating back to the 5th century.

The Duomo was the largest cathedral in Europe when it was completed, but now ranks behind St. Peter’s, St. Paul’s in London, and the Milan Cathedral.

Facade and bell-tower:

Interior (a bit blurry):

Views from the top of the dome:

Next to the Duomo is the Battistero di San Giovanni (Baptistry of St. John), a structure dating to the 4th or 5th century, and a place where several famous Florentines, including Dante, were baptized: