JUNE 17, 2013 by ARNO

Today I was up early to beat the heat and the crowds. The light in the early morning and the evening is just so much better for enhancing the details of these intricate building and places and most of the wanderers are still tucked in their cozy little beds sleeping, so I can get to my desired locations without much of a struggle. This is the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (otherwise known as the Duomo) in Florence. The basilica is one of Italy’s largest churches, and until development of new structural materials in the modern era, the dome was the largest in the world. It remains the largest brick dome ever constructed. The exterior of the basilica is faced with polychrome marble panels in shades of green and pink bordered by white. The three huge bronze doors date from 1899 to 1903. They are adorned with scenes from the life of the Madonna.