About Opera del Duomo Complex
The Opera del Duomo Complex in Florence’s Piazza del Duomo brings together the city’s most iconic religious and artistic landmarks—including the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Baptistery, Bell Tower, Dome, museum, and ancient basilica—forming a vast open-air museum of Florence’s rich spiritual and cultural heritage.
A Grand Vision
By the late 1200s, Florence had outgrown the old church of Santa Reparata. With growing wealth and banking power, city leaders sought to build a grander cathedral to reflect their faith and prosperity. In 1296, the Opera del Duomo was established to oversee the design and construction of what would become the Florence Cathedral.
A Masterpiece in Stone
Work on the new cathedral started in 1296 under architect Arnolfo diCambio, supported by the Wool Merchants Guild. Nearly 200 years later, it stood complete with a colourful marble façade in cream, green, and pink, and Brunelleschi’s red dome—an enduring symbol of Florence’s Gothic and Renaissance brilliance.
- Florence’s influential Wool Merchants Guild, known as the Arte della Lana, oversaw the construction of the Cathedral, the city’s biggest public works project.
- Construction of the Duomo began in 1296, its famous dome was completed in 1436, but the stunning front façade wasn’t finished until 1871—almost 600 years later.
- The Duomo’s façade was started in 1294 by Arnolfo di Cambio and finished centuries later by Emilio De Fabris using colourful marbles from all over Italy.
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