Everyone knows about Florence Cathedral and its iconic dome. But did you know the cathedral’s museum is one of best places to see Renaissance art in Florence? The Museo dell’Opera del Duomo (Works of the Cathedral Museum) is home to the incredible art created for the cathedral, including Ghiberti’s bronze doors and sculptures by Donatello and Michelangelo. The Opera del Duomo Museum is way underrated and way less crowded than some of the other museums in Florence (looking at you, David).
This post covers the museum highlights and the rest of the duomo complex too, including a breakdown of the different cathedral ticket options to help you plan your visit. Let’s go!
History of the Florence Duomo
The Duomo di Firenze (Cathedral of Florence) is a symbol of Florence that tells the story of the Renaissance better than anywhere else. It’s officially known as the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flower. Construction of this huge cathedral began in 1296 under Arnolfo di Cambio, and the artist/architect Giotto took over construction and design of the bell tower soon after. Eventually a whole cast of Renaissance masters got involved.
Doors that Started the Renaissance
First up was Lorenzo Ghiberti. In 1401, he won a competition to create new doors for the baptistery (the little building in front of the cathedral). Ghiberti designed and cast a series of bronze relief panels with incredibly lifelike scenes from the New Testament. It took him and his workshop 21 years(!) to complete the project, but the doors were and instant hit. They are often considered the official start to the Renaissance because they inspired other artists to new heights.
City leaders liked Ghiberti’s doors so much that they commissioned another set for the east side of the baptistery that became known as the “Gates of Paradise.”
The Greatest Dome Ever Built
Next up was Fillipo Brunelleschi, who in 1420 took on the monumental challenge of building the largest dome ever created. Medieval architects planned for the cathedral to have a huge dome but left the specifics to later generations. Brunelleschi studied the Pantheon and other ancient Roman buildings to figure it out. He designed an ingenious double dome, with a strongly reinforced inner dome supporting the outer one. The dome was far too large to support with a wooden scaffolding, so Brunelleschi also had to design a custom crane system to lift materials to the top!
Five Centuries of Art
The cathedral was adorned with art inside and out, including statues by Donatello, stained glass by Agnolo Gaddi, and a grand painting of the last judgement by Giorgio Vasari to top it all off in 1572. His huge painting covers the inside of the dome.
Yet, as artists moved beyond the Renaissance era, the cathedral’s exterior facade was left unfinished. And it stayed that way for more than 200 years. A much later team of artists completed it in 1887, nearly 600 years after the cathedral’s first stone was laid down.
Highlights of the Opera del Duomo Museum
The Opera del Duomo museum is well designed to tell the cathedral’s story and share some of its most important artworks. After a short intro video you, you’ll enter the 3-story Hall of Paradise and stroll thematic rooms for different aspects of the cathedral art. Here are a few highlights.
The Hall of Paradise (Sala del Paradiso)
- Hall of Paradise (Sala del Paradiso) – The museum’s most impressive gallery features a huge recreation of the medieval cathedral facade and the baptistery. On the cathedral side, you’ll see sculptures arranged as they would have been on the old facade. On the baptistery side are three sets of bronze doors: (1) the pre-Renaissance doors by Andrea Pisano, (2) Ghiberti’s competition-winning doors, and (3) Ghiberti’s “Gates of Paradise.”
- Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise – After Lorenzo Ghiberti completed his bronze doors, city leaders quickly hired him to do another set. He made these bigger and incorporated all the latest techniques in 3D perspective. The result was a truly epic set of panels depicting scenes from the Old Testament. Even Michelangelo was impressed, saying they were fit to be the “gates of paradise.”
Sculptures and More
- Donatello’s Penitent Magdalene – The sculptor Donatello made this wooden statue to stand in the baptistery. It depicts an older Mary Magdalene, with her body thin from fasting and her hands in prayer.
- Michelangelo’s Deposition – Michelangelo sculpted this scene toward the end of his life, possibly intending it for his own tomb. It is an unfinished sculpture of the Deposition, where Nicodemus holds the body of Jesus after being taken down from the cross. The face of Nicodemus is a self-portrait of the artist.
- Dome Gallery (Galleria della Cupola) – Upstairs is a room devoted to the cathedral dome. You’ll see a few models, including the original wooden model created by Brunelleschi to explain his design. There’s also a short film that tells the story of how Brunelleschi achieved this incredible feat of architecture and engineering.
Planning Your Visit to the Duomo Complex
Today, the duomo complex is open to visitors via a scheme of combined tickets. The complex includes (deep breath): the cathedral itself, the cathedral dome, the bell tower, the baptistery, the ruins of Santa Reparata, and the Opera del Duomo Museum.
My advice would be to set your priorities thusly: (1) climb the dome or the bell tower, (2) visit the Opera del Duomo Museum, (3) see more of the duomo complex based on your interest/time constraints. Here are all your options.
Dome
Brunelleschi’s dome is the cathedral’s most famous feature and climbing it is #1 on a lot of itineraries. It’s actually constructed as two domes, one inside the other. And it’s huge! (For scale, in the photo above you can see a row of people standing around the base of the stone “lantern” near the top.) To reach the top, you climb narrow stairways between the two and eventually reach an amazing view from the top. Be prepared for a workout climbing all 463 steps.
To climb the dome you’ll need to purchase the Brunelleschi Pass with a timed entry. I highly recommend booking this to ticket at least a month in advance. I ended up getting the other pass below because, you guessed it, the Brunelleschi Pass was sold out by the time I looked for it.
Bell Tower
Lesser known but also great is Giotto’s bell tower next to the cathedral. You get amazing views, including the best view of the dome from outside. Giotto’s tower clocks in at 414 steps, just a bit shorter than the dome climb.
To climb the bell tower you’ll need to buy the Giotto Pass with a timed entry. Again, I highly recommend booking this at least a month in advance, although your odds of a last minute ticket are better here.
Baptistery
The baptistery across from the cathedral is most famous for its ornate bronze doors by Lorenzo Ghiberti (discussed above). The originals of those are in the museum across the square, and the copies are visible from outside the baptistery. Inside, the most impressive features are the baptistery’s glittering medieval ceiling mosaics. Unfortunately, those are mostly covered up for restoration currently.
If you’re only interested visiting the baptistery and the other non-climbing areas, pick up the Ghiberti Pass. Somewhat confusingly, the timed entry for that one is for the Santa Reparata ruins instead of the baptistery.
Santa Reparata
Before there was a Florence Cathedral, there was the ancient basilica of Santa Reparata. And they built the cathedral on top of it! Archaeologists unearthed the ruins of this church below, so now you can see many of the early artworks.
Should you visit? Eh, I’d say only go if you have extra time. The Santa Reparata ruins are included in all three passes. The entrance is on the same side as the bell tower.
Cathedral Interior
The massive cathedral itself is free to visit, but there’s a catch: lines for this world-famous church can be crazy! Like 1-2 hours at times. And compared to other areas of the duomo complex, it’s gonna be a little underwhelming.
The church interior is graceful and sparsely decorated. There are a few standout artworks like the stained glass and Vasari’s Last Judgment painted high above on the cathedral dome’s interior. A lot of the good stuff is over in the Opera del Duomo Museum, and that’s where I would spend my time if I had to pick.
Opera del Duomo Museum
Last but not least is the museum. Don’t skip this! It’s included in all three passes, and you won’t be standing in line to get in. You can start with your timed entry at one of the other areas and then head over to the museum. The entrance is on the far end of the square near the back of the cathedral.
More Tips for Visiting the Florence Duomo Museum
- Have a Plan – The crowds at the duomo complex are no joke! Reserve your tickets well in advance and plan ahead for which areas you want to visit. Don’t try and see everything in one day! Duomo tickets passes are good for 3 calendar days.
- No Backpacks – The duomo complex does not allow backpacks. Purses and small crossbody bags are ok, so try to downsize if you need to bring a bag. If you do bring a backpack, you can drop it off for storage at the museum.
- Video Game Recommendation – This might be a bit niche, but video gamers should check out Assassin’s Creed 2 for a very faithful recreation of the cathedral as it existed during the Renaissance. You’ll appreciate how closely it tracks the real world of Florence.
