Giotto’s Tower

On the southern side adjacent the façade of the Cathedral it stands out with its 277.9 feet height sustained by a solid basement who was started by Arnolfo di Cambio in 1298 while he was the Master chosen for the works of the Cathedral. After his death and a long period of time the works have been interrupted, Giotto di Bondone was nominated as his successor in 1334.
Giotto designed the Campanile and followed the works on it until his death in 1337 without having the chance to see the Tower completed. He was then succeded by the eminent Andrea Pisano whom also couldn’t reach the completion of it because of the disastrous year in which the Black Death involved the entire city of Florence. Pisano was replaced in his turn by Francesco Talenti who built the top three levels, with the large windows, completing the bell tower in 1359.

The most part of the work of art the Campanile you can see today, from the panels by Andrea Pisano and Luca della Robbia and other sculputers to the statues, like the ones of Donatello, are copies, the original were removed and now on display in the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo.

Orari: http://www.operaduomo.firenze.it/english/opera/orari.asp