The "campanile" is the basilica's bell tower in Florence Tuscany.

The blueprint is by Giotto who began to build it in 1334 when he was designated director of works of the cathedral. When Giotto died three years later, undertakings were actually continued by his disciples Andrea Pisano and Francesco Talenti.

The campanile is one of the most important gothic works of geniuse in the city. The fac ade of the cathedral, built approximately one century back, used the same colorings and patterns featured by the bell tower's marbles. All the original plates and sculptures of the bell tower are preserved in the Museo dell 'Opera del Duomo.

To climb up to the top there are "only" 414 steps, instead of the 463 to climb up to the summit of the cupola. Even though lower than the cupola, the climb is more challenging. From above you can enjoy a simply superb view of the Duomo, the Baptistery and the rest of city of Florence.

The Baptistery dedicated to St. John the Baptist, patron saint of the city, is one of the most ancient and relevant monuments of the city. The foundation dates back to the VIth or VIIth century or even earlier. In the XIth century the Baptistery was consacrated when it became the second basilica of Florence.

The Baptistery has an octagonal structure originating byzantine designs and a huge semispherical dome.

The marble ornament of the building occured between the XIth and XIIIth centuries, utilizing choice white and green marbles produced in Carrara and Prato respectively.

The simple and classy geometric patterns are very much used in the florentine romanesque period and it's reminiscent of other churches such as San Miniato, the facade of Santa Maria Novella and the church of Santi Apostoli.

But the Baptistery is known for the 3 doors, touching 3 different artistic time periods: gothic for the southern door, late gothic/early Renaissance for the northern door, and full Renaissance for the eastern door also known as "the gates of Paradise".

Beneath the 3 doctrinal Virtues: Faith, Hope and Charity along with Humility and underneath the 4 cardinal Virtues: Prudence, Fortitude, Temperance and Justice.

The decoration of the door framework was provided by Lorenzo Ghiberti's son Vittorio in XVth century when the door was relocated from the east to make place to Ghiberti's new door.

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