Name: Giotto's Bell Tower
Address: Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, Piazza del Duomo, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy
Telephone: 055 230 2885
Rating: 4.8

Celebrated red, green & white marble-clad Gothic tower with steps leading to a terrace & city views.

Leaning Tower of Pisa

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Piazza del Duomo

pier macri

Ralph Hershberger

David Schmucki

Szabo Istvan

Ponte Vecchio

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

Giotto's Bell Tower stands tall at 84.7 meters, offering breathtaking views of Florence.

Towering Height

Construction of the bell tower began in 1334, making it a prime example of 14th-century Gothic architecture.

Construction Start

The tower was designed by three renowned architects: Giotto, Andrea Pisano, and Francesco Talenti, each contributing their unique style.

Masterminds

Giotto's Bell Tower is unique in that it's not directly attached to the Florence Cathedral, allowing for an unobstructed view of Brunelleschi's dome.

Unique Design

The bell tower was built to house the ringing bells, signaling the time for church services.

Purpose

Giotto's Bell Tower

Giotto's Campanile, a defining feature of the Florentine skyline, stands apart from typical bell towers through its elaborate sculptural decoration and polychrome marble encrustation. Unlike many campaniles, it is not directly attached to the Duomo, but stands adjacent, allowing for unobstructed views of its intricate design. The tower's five-story elevation showcases a progression of architectural styles, beginning with simple, solid forms at the base and culminating in a more ornate, open top level. Giotto himself only designed the lower levels; after his death, Andrea Pisano continued the work, followed by Francesco Talenti, who added the large windows to the upper stories, departing from Giotto's original vision of a soaring spire. The sculptural panels, a collaborative effort by Giotto, Pisano, and others, depict scenes from Genesis, allegories of the arts and sciences, and representations of virtues, forming a comprehensive visual encyclopedia of medieval knowledge. A little-known fact is that the Campanile's design influenced bell tower construction throughout Italy, yet its unique combination of sculpture and colored marble remains unparalleled.

Introduction

For panoramic views of Florence, Giotto's Bell Tower, or Campanile, offers a compelling experience. Located on Piazza del Duomo, this freestanding gothic bell tower, designed by Giotto, presents a unique vantage point. Climbing the 414 steps to its 84.7-meter summit rewards visitors with breathtaking panoramas of the city.

The ascent itself provides viewing opportunities. Terraces along the way allow for pauses to admire the evolving perspectives of Florence, offering a preview of the vista that awaits. At the top, a projecting terrace reveals panoramic views of the tiled dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the medieval city, and other significant landmarks.

The Campanile's location provides a complementary view to that from Brunelleschi's Dome, which is only 10 meters higher. The view from Giotto's Bell Tower is considered by some to be the family favorite climb in the city.

Note that a black mesh has been added around the top of the bell tower, which may affect photographs taken with larger cameras. However, smaller cameras, like those on phones, can still capture unobstructed images. Access to Giotto's Bell Tower is included with the Brunelleschi Pass, and while reservations are not required, a combined ticket for all the monuments of the Cathedral is recommended. The entrance is located on the back of the tower, facing the Duomo's facade.

Panoramic Views of Florence

Giotto's design legacy is profoundly embodied in the Campanile Bell Tower of Florence, despite his limited involvement in its actual construction. Appointed chief architect of the Florence Cathedral in 1334, Giotto designed the bell tower, initiating a project that would extend far beyond his own lifetime. His original design aligned the tower with the Duomo's facade, a deliberate choice to maintain the visual harmony of the cathedral complex. Though Giotto only oversaw the first three years of construction before his death in 1337, his vision established the foundation for this Gothic masterpiece.

Legend suggests Giotto's design faced initial criticism, with concerns that it provided "a too small bed for your feet," yet his assistant Andrea Pisano rectified these perceived flaws, ensuring the tower's structural integrity. The Campanile's enduring appeal lies not only in its final form, completed by Francesco Talenti in 1359, but also in the rich ornamentation, the use of colored marble—white from Carrara, green from Monteferrato, and pink from Maremma—and the intricate engravings. The 56 reliefs at the base and the 16 large statues at higher levels, depicting the history of human destiny, further exemplify the artistic richness integral to Giotto's design ethos. Although Giotto envisioned a spire at the top, the tower was ultimately finished without it. The tower stands as a testament to Giotto's influence on Florentine architecture.

Giotto's Design Legacy

Giotto's Bell Tower exemplifies Florentine Gothic architecture through its distinctive polychrome marble encrustations and sculptural decorations. Designed by Giotto di Bondone, the tower integrates geometric patterns of white Carrara, green Prato, and red Siena marble, reflecting the Gothic aesthetic. Giotto applied chiaroscuro and perspective, moving away from strict linear designs typical of earlier Gothic structures. The tower's five-stage division and polygonal buttresses at each corner further emphasize its Gothic character.

Construction began in 1334, with Giotto completing only the lower level before his death. This level features hexagonal panels with bas-reliefs, showcasing the period's artistic craftsmanship. Andrea Pisano continued the work, adding two more levels with lozenge-shaped panels. Francesco Talenti completed the tower in 1359, incorporating large windows at the top to allow light to penetrate, a design element that enhances the structure's visual appeal.

The bell tower stands apart from the Basilica, a unique positioning that highlights Brunelleschi's dome, designed later. This separation is a departure from traditional bell tower placements, underscoring the innovative approach of Florentine Gothic architecture. The tower's sculptural reliefs and decorations, crafted by Florentine masters like Andrea Pisano, Donatello, and Luca della Robbia, enrich its Gothic identity. The tower, though missing its originally planned spire, culminates in a projecting terrace offering panoramic views, a testament to the architectural ingenuity of the era.

Florentine Gothic Architecture

Giotto's Bell Tower boasts an exceptionally rich sculptural decoration, representing one of the most intricate figurative cycles of the Middle Ages. The tower features 56 relief carvings arranged in two registers, complemented by 16 life-size statues placed in niches, showcasing the talents of Florentine masters from the 14th and 15th centuries, including Andrea Pisano, Donatello, and Luca Della Robbia.

The hexagonal panels and lozenges present depictions of the Creation of Man, human activities, the liberal arts, planets, virtues, and sacraments. Statues within the niches portray patriarchs, prophets, kings of Israel, and pagan sibyls. Donatello's "Sacrifice of Isaac" stands out as a prime example of 15th-century naturalism. The bas-reliefs, with contributions from Pisano, Luca della Robbia, and Giotto, exhibit originality, particularly in their depiction of agricultural work.

The upper level of lozenges showcases the seven planets: Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Sun, Jupiter, and Saturn. Decorations on the south side highlight the human figure and ingenuity, while lozenges depict virtues such as faith, hope, charity, prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude. The east side celebrates human activities, especially agriculture, with representations of grammar, dialectic, rhetoric, arithmetic, music, geometry, and astronomy on the upper floor. The north side features the seven sacraments: baptism, confession, marriage, sacred order, confirmation, Eucharist, and extreme unction. Today, the original sculptures are housed in the Opera del Duomo Museum, with copies displayed in the tower's niches.

Giotto's Bell Tower

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Towering Height

Construction Start

Masterminds

Unique Design

Highlights from Reviews

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