The Cupola of Santa Maria del Fiore
A View of Florence that Can't Be Missed
Whether you are a tourist, exchange student, or photographer, the view of Florence, Italy from the Cupola of the Church of the Santa Maria del Fiore, or St. Mary of the Flowers, is a must see. More commonly referred to as the Duomo, it takes 463 steps climb to the top of this bell tower, but once there the panoramic view of the city that was the birthplace of the Renaissance is indomitable.
If you suffer from a fear of heights, this may not be the time to test your limits. Though the climb is completely walled and the steps are stone, there are portions approaching the top have no railings or even ropes to hold on to, so you are at the mercy of your balance and the traction you can get by gripping the wall. Couple that with the fact that traffic moves both ways on the same sets of stairs, an acrophobic might find this too much to handle and opt to buy a postcard of the view.
For those brave enough to make the climb, the view is well worth it. At the beginning of the ascent, the act of climbing 463 steps might seem daunting but once begun, it is not so bad. One must wear comfortable shoes for the climb because flip-flops or heels are not going to be friendly to your feet.
The stairs at the base are wide enough for two-way traffic and the railings and breaks about every 30 steps or so make the climb feasible. If attempting this climb during high tourist season, anywhere from late April to late August, remember that you will be sharing this experience with many others, and as you get to the narrower top stairwells, there will be crowds; claustrophobics take note. Also, this bell tower is not air-conditioned so with many other sweaty travelers it heats up fast. Be sure to bring water with you.
As the top draws nearer, the spiral stairs narrow. There are thin railings to hold on to but as you get to the final stairs, there are none. The last leg of the trip is a ladder-like set of stairs that take you outside. This is by far the most unnerving. People are scrambling to the top while others are ready for the descent. You emerge atop Florence with a panoramic view that no photograph can fully capture.
Walk around outside the Duomo to soak up all the view has to offer. There are a full set of railings, therefore no need to be afraid of slipping off. As you pass around the tower, capture the images of the city with photographs. Though the pictures will serve as fond memories, be sure that you actually enjoy the view and don’t just spend all the time behind a camera lense. Though there are no benches at the top, (let’s face it, who could get them there) there is plenty of room to sit and perhaps have a small picnic or romantic interlude. There is no more perfect place then atop Florence to propose marriage. While many may opt for the Eiffel Tower of Paris, the Duomo is less cliché and more original and in some ways less touristy. When proposing, high tourist season might not make for a truly intimate setting.
As you make your descent to the bottom, the ladder-like stairs are the most difficult part of the trip. Once that is conquered, the rest gets easier. However, on the spiral stairs staying to the right means walking on the narrower portion of the step, so there is less surface and no railings. After about 100 steps, the rest of the descent is gravy and with each step closer to the bottom, the air temperature lessens.
The climb to the top of the Cupola of the Santa Maria del Fuori is a small exercise in futility. If one can tackle the 463 stairs and the sheer height, the view from the top is unsurpassed and a perfect place for photos, a picnic lunch, even a proposal of marriage.
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