Giotto's Tower in Florence

One of the most famousFlorence's attractions are the Giotto Tower. Pictures of this bell tower are decorated with postcards, posters, T-shirts, mugs and other souvenir products with views of an ancient Italian city. The tower played an important role in the life of medieval Florence. From the very beginning it was supposed to serve as a symbol of greatness, military power and independence of the city. In this article we will talk about the long construction of the bell tower. The attraction is one of the first places in the must-see list in Florence. Many tourists do not know where to look for the tower of Giotto. Meanwhile, it serves as the bell tower of the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.

The value of the Campanile for Florence

In order to understand the role of the bell tower in lifemedieval Italian city, we need to make a short digression into the history. At the turn of the XIII-XIV centuries in Italy, serious civil wars raged between Guelphs and Gibbelins. The former advocated the strengthening of papal power, while the latter advocated the influence of the emperor. The victory of Guelphs led to the dominance of the Roman Curia. The houses of the towers of the Ghibelin family were hidden, their owners were executed or sent into exile.

To show before his ubiquitous Inquisition hisCatholicism, the city authorities began to erect high bell towers of the Gothic cathedrals. The "Falling" Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of them. Florence, which has long competed with Sienna in the aspect of the one whose campaign was higher, wanted at any cost to erect the highest bell tower from its cathedral. So the tower of Giotto appeared. The city decided not to stand up for the price and hire for the construction of the most fashionable and, accordingly, expensive master. The document of that time reads: "The Campanile should glorify the city, and this can be done only if the works are managed by a famous master ... There is not a man more gifted than the Florentine Giotto Bondone around the world."

Construction of a tower

According to the canons of Italian Gothic artthe cathedral, the baptismal room (baptistery), and the bell tower (kriminala) were to be separated from each other. Only two years after the construction of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, in 1298, a pit was dug for the foundation of the tower. Originally, the bell tower was erected together with the cathedral, and was entrusted to the architect Arnolfo di Cambio. However, in 1302, he died, and the construction of the bell tower stopped for a whole thirty years. On July 9, 1334, the bishop of the city solemnly laid the first stone and consecrated the place on which the tower was to tower. Giotto proceeded to work when the city established him an annual salary of one hundred gold florins - a huge amount at that time. The master, who was then 67, offered the magistrate a fashionable "German" model. He also took into account the workings of the architect of the cathedral of Arnolfo di Cambio in order that the campaign would be in harmony with the polychrome church building. Giotto applied a technique called "chiaroscuro", which makes the tower look like it's drawn. The master also developed drawings of ornaments, so-called stories. But in the marble to realize his idea did not have time. He died in 1337, when the tower of Giotto in Florence was erected only to the first tier.

Continuation of construction

It would seem that nothing terrible for the cityloss did not bring. The drawing of the eminent master, all the calculations and sketches of the "stories" of marble, which he intended to place on the walls, were already safely stored in the magistrate. However, the consuls decided to invite for the continuation of the construction of not less eminent architect - Andrea Pisano. This master was famous for erecting the southern portal of the Baptistery. He worked on the bell tower until 1343 and managed to erect the next, the second tier. However, the tower of Giotto at this stage was decorated with high bifors. Although the rest of the master strictly followed the drawings left by Giotto.

In 1347, the whole of Europe was swept by "blackdeath. "Andrea Pisano died of the plague epidemic, and the third architect, Francesco Talenti, completed the construction of the bell tower, which, according to Giotto's plan, had three grades of marble, but also made changes to the original design. century, and the German style was out of fashion.According to the plan, a 122-meter bell tower was to be crowned with a square tent "50 cubits high." In 1359, Talente deliberately refused this idea.This first drawing, which is now stored in the museum of Siena, will Florence Cathedral is very different. But, despite the fact that two successive architects have brought a lot of their ideas in the creation of this wonderful creation of art, the bell tower still bears the name "Tower of Giotto."

Where is the Campanile

The construction height of 84 meters is difficult not to notice.The entire complex of buildings is located on the Cathedral Square in Florence. It is the church of Santa Maria del Fiore (in translation - "Our Lady in Flowers") and the separate belfry and baptistery of San Giovanni. If you stand facing the main portal of the cathedral, the tower of Giotto is on the right side of it.

Exterior decoration

The beauty of the bell tower is amazing.Despite its monumentality and height, it seems more like a jewelry decoration than a building. The tower is graceful, airy. Floor division and high Gothic windows make it slimmer. The tower of Giotto is faced with three grades of marble: snow-white from Carrara, green from Prato and red from Siena. In the Gothic apertures the twisted columns are skilfully intertwined. Mosaic inserts of the work of the Kosmati brothers enliven the white-green walls.

Statues and bas-reliefs

It is because of this decoration and the tower became famousGiotto. Where is the master's panel? Giotto left a lot of developments. Perhaps some of the panels of the first and second tiers belong to his chisel or pupils of his school. Initially, on three sides, the tower of Giotto was decorated with bas-reliefs. Later, some panels created the master Luca Della Robbia. The third tier of the bell tower is decorated with sixteen statues. The original authorship of Donatello moved to the museum, and under the influence of wind, sun and rain provided copies. Some marble "stories" are attributed to Andrea Pisano.

Observation deck

Refusing the original plan, Talenti,the last architect of the bell tower, did not even suspect that it is of great service to many generations of tourists. Due to changes in the project, the Giotto tower in Florence was lower by almost forty meters, but it acquired a viewing platform. Now, having overcome 414 steps, one can admire the panorama of an ancient city, consider in every detail the dome of the cathedral of Brunnelski's work. The entire staircase inside the tower is cut by a large number of windows and, slowly overcoming the steps, you can admire the light, like the lace, decoration of the bell tower.

A single entrance to the Campanile costs 6 euros.It is much more profitable to purchase a comprehensive ticket for 10 Є, which includes a visit to the tower, the dome of the cathedral, the Baptistery of San Giovanni, the crypt of Saint Reparata and the historical museum.