Giotto's Campanile

The campanile is a bell tower in the form of a tower, standing separately from the cathedral to which it belongs. The foundation of the "Tower of Giotto" was laid by Giotto's predecessor, Arnolfo di Cambio, the chief architect of the Duomo being built at the time.

It was Arnolfo di Cambio who authored the overall design of the tower. Giotto, who continued the work on the building, did not change the general plan but focused on the design of its exterior.

The 87-meter tall bell tower was created more as a decorative than a functional element of the Duomo.

After Giotto, Andrea Pisano and Francesco Talenti worked on the campanile. Only the first floor of the bell tower was completed during Giotto's lifetime.

Francesco Talenti, who finished building the tower, decided to crown the tower with an extensive viewing platform.

In Giotto's project, the campanile was to be completed with a sharp spire reaching upwards. This would have made the tower significantly taller than its current size. However, Francesco Talenti rejected this decision, considering it too bold. Giotto's drawing of the tower project can still be seen in the Cathedral Museum. The project height of the bell tower with the spire differs by almost 40 meters.

Although the final appearance of the tower significantly differs from Giotto's project, the tower bears the name of the celebrated master. This emphasizes the high artistic value of this architectural work.

The bell tower is a slender, vertically elongated rectangular tower. Its total height is 84.5 meters. This shape corresponded to the Gothic architectural fashion of the late Middle Ages. It is horizontally divided by floor separations, with lancet arch windows typical of the Gothic style era on each floor.

The window openings are artistically integrated into the wall ornamentation. From the outside, the windows are adorned with elegant twisted moldings.

The cathedral's finishing is noteworthy. The same multicolored marble used for the Duomo's decor was used for cladding. Gray-green marble is combined with pink and white. Different types of marble were brought from different regions of Italy: Carrara, Siena, and Prato.

The lower levels of the tower are decorated with carved plates and bas-reliefs. In the center of each marble plate are images of the seven sacraments and scenes from the Scriptures.

The number seven is considered sacred to Christianity, symbolizing the possibility of self-improvement and active development on the path to God.

The following tiers are adorned with bas-reliefs by masters Robbia and Pisano. They depict humanity's technological progress. Here are presented paintings of the mastery of sciences and arts, knowledge of crafts and culture, and various professions characteristic of the Middle Ages.

A series of statues depicting Old Testament prophets was created by Donatello, who worked on them for over twenty years. Among those depicted, the prophet Habakkuk and the prophet Jeremiah stand out for the strength and character of their embodied image. The originals of these sculptures are located in the museum, while copies are used to decorate the tower. This necessary measure is intended to preserve the valuable statues.

Above the entrance to the bell tower is the famous Madonna with Child by Andrea Pisano.

According to Giotto's plan, the bell tower was supposed to appear as if it was painted against the sky. Thanks to artistic techniques, this plan was largely achieved.

The overall impression of the campanile's exterior is that the building is a work of jewelry art, not architecture. The majesty of the high stone structure is compensated by the elegance and lightness of the exterior finishing.

Inside, the bell tower is a narrow path upwards, consisting of 414 steps. Several intermediate viewing platforms are located along the way to the viewing platform, where visitors can rest during the ascent.

An old cast bell is located on one of the intermediate viewing platforms. It is currently not in use and serves as an exhibit.

A viewing platform is organized at the top of the bell tower. From this spot, a beautiful view of the city opens up. In front of the visitor unfolds a panorama of Florence's red-brown roofs and the line of hills surrounding the city.