The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore is the main church of Florence, Italy. The Duomo, as it is normally called, was was built over several hundred years beginning in 1296. The dome itself was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, a noted architect and engineer from the Renaissance.
The exterior of the basilica is faced with polychrome marble panels in various shades of green and pink bordered by white and has an incredibly elaborate level of detail.
The cathedral complex, located in Piazza del Duomo, also includes the Baptistery and Giotto's Campanile (bell tower). The three buildings are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site right in the center of Florence.
The interior, while quite large, was relatively bare.
...but part of the goodness of this cathedral, like many others we saw in Italy, was that specific areas were set aside specifically for worship.
I went by it often in the few days we visited, its a beautiful place.
