Brunelleschi's Dome: a climb on foot inside the cathedral

What you are actually climbing

Florence Cathedral, Santa Maria del Fiore, was begun in 1296 to a design by Arnolfo di Cambio, and the dome, the big outstanding piece, was finished in 1436. A competition was announced in 1418 and Brunelleschi won it against Lorenzo Ghiberti. Building began in 1420, and it is regarded as the first octagonal dome in history built without a temporary wooden frame. It is still the largest masonry dome ever constructed.

That explains the route: the climb is not a modern lookout but the inside of a structure raised by hand, with tight passages and curved walls. You go up on foot between the two shells, seeing the construction at close quarters and, from a gallery partway up, the painted interior of the dome. At the top, the reward is the view over the city's rooftops.

The complex also includes the Baptistery and Giotto's Campanile, all three part of the World Heritage site covering the historic centre. The facade you see today is Gothic Revival, from 1887; the dome, by contrast, is 15th century. The cathedral was consecrated on 25 March 1436, and Guillaume Dufay's motet Nuper rosarum flores was performed that day. If you look at the dome from the square before climbing, you will better understand what you are about to walk through.

The climb, without decoration

There are more than four hundred steps, no lift, and much of the way is narrow and poorly ventilated. It is tiring more because of the slow pace and the queue than because of the height gained. If enclosed spaces bother you or stairs are hard going, think twice: once inside, turning back is not always easy.

Access rules and capacity are set by the cathedral itself and may change. Always check the official information before counting on the climb on a particular day.

The ticket: where it is handled

The ticket for the dome is handled through the cathedral's official channel, by time slot, and usually forms part of a pass covering several monuments of the complex. We do not sell it here: the booking button on this page takes you to the Florence visits that can be booked on Weekend in Italy, an outside site where you see prices and availability.

Sort out the climb before locking in the rest of the trip: slots are limited and it is among the first things to fill on a short stay in Florence.

If you cannot get up

It is fine: the dome is enjoyed from outside and from other high points. Giotto's Campanile can also be climbed and from it you see the dome up close, which you cannot do from inside it. For the rest of the city, see the two-day itinerary and nearby places such as the Palazzo Vecchio, also by Arnolfo di Cambio, or the Uffizi Gallery.