Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence Jun 27, 2024

Welcome to Florence, the cradle of the Renaissance! Let the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore transport you through time. More than just a church, this Gothic structure, with its red-tiled dome, is steeped in centuries of history. Built over an older cathedral dedicated to Santa Reparata, construction began in 1296 under the supervision of architect Arnolfo di Cambio. Filippo Brunelleschi, an Italian architect and designer, engineered its dome, which is the largest brick dome ever constructed. It was built without the support of traditional wooden frameworks; its completion in 1436 was the final stage of the cathedral"s construction. It"s not just the outside that dazzles; inside there are artistic treasures to discover, from Giorgio Vasari"s fresco "The Last Judgement" to Paolo Uccello"s intricate clock face.

© Elena Pueyo/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Jun 27, 2025Splendid leaf frog

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Jan 13, 2024Road to Hana, Maui, Hawaii, USA
Dec 29, 2023Oud-West neighbourhood, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Nov 9, 2024Aït Benhaddou, Morocco
Jan 15, 2025Pointe du Diable, Saint-Pierre, Réunion Island
Jul 30, 2024San Gimignano, Siena, Italy
Sep 28, 2025Town of Pienza in Tuscany, Italy
Feb 24, 2024Almond trees in full bloom, California, USA
Dec 14, 2024Northern hawk-owl, Canada
Oct 18, 2025Silbury Hill, Wiltshire, England
Jan 21, 2026Eurasian red squirrel
Apr 21, 2024Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
May 30, 2024Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
May 8, 2024Château dIf, Marseille, France
Sep 13, 2024Point Reyes National Seashore
Oct 18, 2024Central Park, New York, United States
Dec 21, 2024Ore Mountains, Saxony, Germany
Aug 22, 2023Amphitheatre of El Jem, Tunisia
Oct 10, 2025Coral reef surrounding the island of Monuriki, Mamanuca Islands, Fiji
Jan 9, 2025Sossusvlei sand dunes, Namib desert, Namibia
May 23, 2025Yellow-spotted river turtle, Amazon Region, Ecuador
Dec 10, 2025Castle of Rocca Calascio, Italy
Jun 4, 2024Chestnut-headed bee-eaters
Mar 11, 2024Koala sleeping in a eucalyptus tree
Jan 29, 2025Prioro, Castile and León, Spain
Nov 25, 2024Maasai giraffes
Jul 16, 2024Skara Brae, Scotland
Sep 9, 2024Iguazu Falls at the border of Argentina and Brazil
Oct 6, 2024Coyote Gulch, Glen Canyon Recreation Area, Utah
May 25, 2025Butchart Gardens in Brentwood Bay, British Columbia, Canada
Nov 24, 2023Hoh Rain Forest, Olympic National Park, Washington, USA