Florence, Italy: The Duomo is Dazzling

The Duomo, which is heralded as the crowning jewel of Florence, is truly magnificent.  The facade is completely covered in red, white, and green marble, and the entire church is capped by Bruneschelli's marvelously designed dome.  The dome was, and still is, an architectural wonder, and after being inside the church, Mom and I wanted to see it up close.  So, we took the climb, and 463 steps through narrow passages later...

...we reached the top!  The view of Firenze, with all the red roofs and the Medici villas gracing the hills in the distance, was spectacular, and well-worth the climb.  The picture doesn't quite do it justice.

One more shot of the Duomo, this time at sunset.  The other building in front is the baptistry, also decorated in red, white, and green marble, and featuring an impressive set of bronze doors that took 40 years to scuplt.  All in all, Mom and I had a great first day in Florence.