Florence is gorgeous. This city is surrounded by same usual beautiful green mountains that I have been seeing for the past few days. Florence is actually located in a valley unlike most towns in the Tuscany region which are located on the top of the mountains. The buildings having typical designs that we would see in the travel magazines. They are tall, but not as tall as New York’s skyscrapers. They are about six or seven story high. The colors of facades are very light – beige or grey or cream white color. Most roofs are covered in brick. Because this city is so small, the buildings are built literally next to each other. In other words, there are NO space between each buildings at all!

I was standing at the top of the dome of the Florence Cathedral and looking at the magnificent city of Florence. I climbed up nearly 400 stairs to the top! There were no elevator at all to go to the top. I know that sounds brutal, but it was not bad as I had a survival kit with me – a bottle of water, a good walking shoes, and my iPod. While I was climbing up the steps, I was so accustomed to the music that I did not think about how far I had to go to the top. I got to the top sooner than I thought. Climbing to the top was very neat as I was able to see how this dome was constructed.

Do you ever wonder where the idea of the pointed dome on the St. Peter’s Church, St. Paul Cathedral in London, United States Capitol or on many of the state capitols comes from? The dome of the Florence Cathedral is the one that influenced all the other pointed domes. The original design plan for the dome is supposed to be hemispherical like the Pantheon, but it has not been possible because the drum, a cylindrical wall which supports a dome, has already been built, and the drum is too big for a hemispherical dome. The hemispherical dome would have crushed the drum. Brunelleschi, the designer of the dome, is well-known because he has been able to create a magnificent dome that no other engineers could create. He has created new ideas by inventing new techniques. This dome has two shells, an inner and an outer shell, in order to keep out the moist and to give a magnificent appearance. The outer shell is made of brick. There are eight major ribs which acted as side thrusts. Then, there are sixteen minor ribs which are inside the dome. Then, the lantern that rests on the top of the dome, ties the ribs together and absorbs the side thrusts.

While I like Siena’s Cathedral better than Florence’s Cathedral, this cathedral is still magnificent. Like Siena’s Cathedral, it’s loaded with green, white, and pink marble. The sculptures are incredible beautiful, especially the engaged columns.

Palazzo Vecchio is another great famous building in Floorence, and it’s a town hall. It’s a true Tuscan Gothic architecture has it has crenellated design which makes this piece known as crenellated fortress-palace. The heraldic frieze which rests just above the third level, has crossed keys which represents the Medici papal rule. This building was completed in 1322, during the Gothic period. This town hall hosted meetings for centuries to discuss about fire, flood, or enemy attack. The Palazzo Vecchio is located in a very active piazza for residents and visitors. A great market that sells leather, cashmeres, and other artistic goods is located nearby. Well known copied sculptures rest by the Palazzo Vecchio such as Michelango’s David and Giambologna’s The Rape of the Sabine Women.