View of the nave and choir

The Cathedral of Florence had been commenced in 1296 under the direction of Arnolfo di Cambio but the work came practically to a standstill after Arnolfo's death in 1302. It continued sporadically under Giotto, who began the Campanile Andrea Pisano who designed its second and third stories. During the 1350s Francesco Talenti completed the Campanile. In 1355 several projects were submitted for the continuation of the building. A definitive project embodying the piers designed by Francesco Talenti was adopted in 1364.

The interior of the Cathedral consists of a majestic nave composed of four huge bays. The nave leads to the octagon of the dome, its lofty arches opening onto side aisles half the width of the nave. The imposing simplicity of the interior is enhanced by the warm brown stone used for the piers, capitals, and other details. The Florentine Duomo was not consecrated until 1436, when the dome, apparently first envisioned by Arnolfo di Cambio, was near completion under Filippo Brunelleschi.

The façade was executed only in the 19th century by Emilio de Fabris.