Piazza del Duomo

The name of the square itself speaks to the significant role it played for Catholic Florence. Piazza del Duomo never served as an arena for important political and social events, nor was it a hub of bustling trade and commercial activity. Historically, it was the center of spiritual and religious life in the Tuscan capital, home to important Christian structures. For instance, the square housed the ancient baptistery, with mentions dating back to 897, and until the 14th century, the Santa Reparata Church, dating to the 6th-5th centuries, stood there. This part of the city earned the title "Heart of Florence" following the construction of the new cathedral.

The Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral or Duomo is the fourth-largest church in Europe (length 153 m, height 116 m).

Giotto's Campanile is a bell tower standing separately from the cathedral and baptistery, one of the brightest examples of Gothic architecture in Florence. Designed by the great Renaissance master Giotto di Bondone, it is richly adorned with various sculptural elements and polychrome marble inlay.

The San Giovanni Baptistery is one of the oldest buildings in the city, located at the entrance to the cathedral. It was built between 1059 and 1128 in the Romanesque style.

The Opera del Duomo Museum hosts a collection of artworks, including works by Michelangelo, Donatello, Lorenzo Ghiberti, Luca della Robbia, Arnolfo di Cambio, and others. Some of the exhibits were previously located in the cathedral.

The Bigallo Loggia, formerly a shelter for orphaned children, now the Bigallo Museum;

The Archbishop's Palace;

An archaeological museum on the site of excavations of the Santa Reparata Church within the cathedral complex;

The Palazzo Canonici with a monument to Filippo Brunelleschi by sculptor Luigi Pampaloni;

The marble column of San Zanobi, in the form of a cross over a flaming crown, erected in honor of the miracle of a dry elm's revival after its contact with the relics of the saintly bishop.