Florence Duomo Guide: Dome Climb, Tickets and Tips
Updated: Oct 27
Updated October 2026
The first time I saw the Duomo, green, white and pink marble filling the sky, I stopped walking. I have climbed it and watched it change color at sunset, and it still gets me. Here is how to see all five parts of the complex.
This guide explains the five parts of the complex, which pass to buy and the best order to see them. It is the starting point of my guide to Renaissance Florence.
The five parts of the complex
The Cathedral (Santa Maria del Fiore): entry is free. Expect a queue at busy times.
Brunelleschi's Dome: 463 steps, no lift, timed entry only.
Giotto's Bell Tower: a separate climb, with a great view of the dome itself.
The Baptistery of San Giovanni: with its golden mosaic ceiling and bronze doors.
The Opera del Duomo Museum: the original Gates of Paradise, Michelangelo's late Pietà and much more.
Below the cathedral are the remains of Santa Reparata, the earlier church on this site.
Which pass to buy
The Brunelleschi Pass is the one that includes the dome climb. It also covers the bell tower, the Baptistery, the museum and Santa Reparata, and is valid for three calendar days. You choose a fixed dome time when you book, and it cannot be changed, so plan your day around it. Bring ID.
If you do not want to climb the dome, smaller passes cover the other monuments. Check the official Duomo site for current options.
2026 closures to know
The bell tower is under restoration, with some views partly reduced. It is closed 9 to 13 November 2026.
The dome is closed for maintenance 16 to 20 November 2026.
The best order of visit
Start early with your dome slot, while your legs are fresh.
Visit the cathedral and Santa Reparata.
Step into the Baptistery.
Finish in the Opera del Duomo Museum, which explains everything you just saw.
Climb the bell tower on another day of your pass, ideally late afternoon.
Practical tips
Cover shoulders and knees for the cathedral and Baptistery.
Large bags are not allowed on the climbs. Use the free luggage storage at Piazza Duomo 38/r.
The dome entrance is through the Porta della Mandorla on the north side.
The climb is narrow and steep in places. It is not for anyone with heart problems, vertigo or claustrophobia.
Nearby
A few minutes away, the Medici parish church holds more Brunelleschi. See my guide to San Lorenzo. For the other great basilica, read my guide to Santa Croce.
Where to stay
Waking up near the Duomo means you can be first in line. See where to stay near the Duomo.
The story of the dome
When work on the cathedral started in 1296, the Florentines planned a dome so large that nobody knew how to build it. For over a century the hole in the roof sat covered and waiting.
In 1418 the city held a competition, and the goldsmith Filippo Brunelleschi won with a radical idea: two shells, one inside the other, built without wooden scaffolding from the ground, using a herringbone brick pattern that held itself up as it rose.
Work began in 1420 and the dome was finished in 1436. It is still the largest masonry dome in the world. Climbing between the two shells, you see the bricks and the curve that made it possible.
What to look for inside
Vasari and Zuccari's Last Judgment on the inside of the dome, seen up close on the climb.
Paolo Uccello's clock over the main door, which runs on a 24 hour system that ends at sunset.
The equestrian memorials to two mercenary captains, painted by Uccello and Andrea del Castagno.
Dante and the Divine Comedy, the 1465 painting on the left wall.
The marble floor, laid in the 1500s.
The facade
The Duomo's marble facade is younger than it looks. The original medieval facade was never finished and was taken down in 1587. The present facade, in white Carrara, green Prato and red Maremma marble, was completed only in 1887. Step back to Via de' Cerretani or the Baptistery steps to take it all in.
Under the cathedral
Beneath the nave lie the remains of Santa Reparata, the older church the Duomo replaced. You can walk among its mosaic floors and see Brunelleschi's simple tomb slab, one of the few honors of its kind in Florence. It is cool, quiet and often overlooked.
Best photo spots
The classic shots of the dome are from Piazzale Michelangelo, the top of Giotto's bell tower and the rooftop bars around the piazza.
Climbing in summer
The dome climb is warm in summer, so book an early slot, wear light clothes and carry water. There are a few places to pause, and the gallery around the drum gives you a breather before the final steep section.
The Baptistery and its doors
Opposite the cathedral, the octagonal Baptistery of San Giovanni is one of the oldest buildings in Florence, consecrated in 1059 and long believed by Florentines to be a Roman temple.
Dante was baptized here, and so were generations of Florentines. Inside, the dome is covered with a vast 13th century mosaic of the Last Judgment, with a terrifying Satan devouring sinners.
The three sets of bronze doors tell the story of the Renaissance. Andrea Pisano's south doors date from the 1330s.
Lorenzo Ghiberti won the 1401 competition for the north doors, then spent decades on the east doors, which Michelangelo is said to have called the Gates of Paradise. The doors outside are copies; the restored originals are in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo.
Giotto's bell tower
The campanile was begun by Giotto in 1334 and completed after his death by Andrea Pisano and Francesco Talenti. Clad in white, green and pink marble, it rises about 85 meters, and its lower levels are carved with reliefs showing the arts, sciences and labors of humankind.
The climb is 414 steps, with no elevator, but the top gives you the best view of the dome itself, which you cannot see when you are standing on it.
The Opera del Duomo Museum
Many people skip this museum, and I think it is the most beautiful in the city. It holds the original sculptures from the cathedral and bell tower: Michelangelo's late Pietà, carved for his own tomb; Donatello's haunting wooden Mary Magdalene; the singing galleries by Luca della Robbia and Donatello; and a full scale reconstruction of Arnolfo di Cambio's original facade.
Brunelleschi's wooden models and the tools used to build the dome are also on display. It is included in the cathedral passes.
Santa Reparata
Beneath the cathedral floor lie the remains of Santa Reparata, the earlier church the Duomo replaced, with mosaic floors, tombs and fragments of frescoes. Brunelleschi's simple tombstone is here too, a modest grave for the man who built the dome. The crypt is included in the passes and reached by stairs inside the cathedral.
Mass and Sunday visits
The cathedral is a working church. Masses are held daily, and visitor access may be restricted during services. On Sunday mornings, it is best to attend mass rather than tour. Attending a service is free and gives you a chance to hear the organ and sit under the dome in peace.
My favorite moment
Standing in Piazza del Duomo early on a winter morning, before the crowds, when the marble glows pale pink in the rising sun. It never fails to stop me.
FAQ
Is it worth climbing the dome?
Yes. Seeing Vasari's Last Judgment fresco up close, then stepping out on top, is a highlight of any trip.
Dome or bell tower?
The dome gives you the experience. The bell tower gives you the view of the dome. Want to wake up to it? See my guide to Florence hotels with Duomo views. If you can, do both.
How long does the dome climb take?
Allow about an hour from entry to exit.
How tall is the Florence Duomo dome?
About 114 meters to the top of the lantern.
When was the dome built?
Between 1420 and 1436, to Filippo Brunelleschi's design.
About the author
I'm Jason GaNung, and I write every guide on Florence Life. I have spent extensive time in Florence over many trips, and I have stayed in many of the hotels and villas I cover, so my picks come from my own stays, not press releases. More about me.
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