Virtual Florence Duomo and Baptistery Tour: The Heart of Renaissance Florence

Tour Overview

Embark on a journey back in time to the Italian Renaissance on our virtual tour of Florence's spectacular cathedral and baptistry. Join our expert local guide Angelo to discover how the city's immense, unforgettable Duomo has been at the centre of life in Florence for the past 700 years. Get the full story behind the iconic cathedral, and learn how Brunelleschi's innovative crowning dome heralded the dawn of the Renaissance. And that's not all: we'll be exploring the charming adjacent Romanesque Baptistery too, chock-full of stunning artworks. Unravel the complex symbolism of the Baptistery's extraordinary golden mosaics with Angelo, and find out why being baptized here meant you were a true son of Florence. Admire the Baptistery's incredibly ornate doors designed by Lorenzo Ghiberti, so perfect they were dubbed the Gates of Paradise by Michelangelo himself.

If the day of the week or start time of this group tour doesn't work for you, please email us at office@througheternity.com to arrange a suitable alternative date.

Tour Description

Meet your guide: Angelo

Hi, I’m Angelo! I have been working with Through Eternity Tours since the beginning. I have studied the classics, history, art, religion and archaeology: a solid foundation to explore the past and present with visitors to my city. The most rewarding part of my job is when non art and history buffs tell me, “we would have loved to stay longer and learn more.”

What Exactly is a Through Eternity Virtual Tour?  

The world of travel might be on hold right now, but just because we're all staying at home to help the world overcome a common enemy doesn't mean we have to put our wanderlust on the back burner. Frustrated with not being able to get our travel fix, we decided to transform our award-winning tours into immersive virtual experiences, meaning you can still explore Italy’s spectacular archaeological sites and jaw-dropping museums from the comfort of your own home.  

* Please note that the booking times are in US Eastern Standard Time and Rome, Italy CET is 6 hours ahead *

Fun and informative, our virtual tours take the form of online real-time presentations led by our expert guides. Combining videos, high-definition photos and more, our guides will be sharing their wealth of knowledge and experience with you on these interactive walkthroughs of Italy’s most fascinating sites. The live format of our virtual tours means you’ll be able to ask your guide anything you wish, just like on a normal tour. We really believe it's the next best thing to being here!

As a sign of our gratitude to those who are on the front line fighting the Coronavirus, we would be more than happy to invite all first responders, health workers and NHS workers to join our Virtual Tours for free. Please message our office staff directly!

Please note that the proceeds from our online tours go directly to our guides, providing them with a valuable lifeline in these tough times for the world of travel. Thank you for your support! 

Discover the marvels of Renaissance Florence with Angelo 

Trace the fascinating story of Florence from its legendary founding by Julius Caesar through to its transformation into one of the most important cities of the early modern world. Find out exactly why Florence is known as the cradle of the Renaissance, and meet the writers and artists, scientists and philosophers who changed the way we look at the world right here half a milennium ago. You’ll be transported to the atmospheric streets of the Renaissance city thanks to high quality photos and Angelo’s immersive presentation as you make your way towards Florence’s undisputed centrepiece: the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.

Find out why Brunelleschi’s Dome is Florence’s most important landmark 

Towering over the beautiful churches, palaces and squares of Florence, Brunelleschi's awe-inspiring dome crowning the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore seems to be everywhere you look in the first city of the Renaissance. The dome's incredibly innovative double-shell skeleton was totally unique when it was erected in the 1430s, and remains an architectural marvel more than 500 years later. Get the full picture with Angelo: casting our virtual gaze heavenward, we’ll be left in no doubt as to how Brunelleschi came to be known to history as the founding father of Renaissance architecture.

Trace the long history of the Cathedral through the ages

But Florence’s Duomo is about more than just Brunelleschi. We’ll be tracing its long history back to the buried ancient buildings immured in the cathedral’s, foundations, and getting to know the humble church of Santa Reparata that once stood here.

Discover how Florence’s medieval masons set about constructing the world’s largest Gothic church in the 13^th century, and how the painter Giotto would provide the marvellous adjacent bell tower – one of Italy’s most beautiful buildings, with an unparalleled view of the Florence skyline stretching into the distance from the top. We won’t be making the 400 step climb on our virtual tour, but we promise it’s worth it next time you visit Florence in person!

Gaze on the Duomo’s stunning interior 

On our virtual tour of Florence cathedral we’ll be taking you inside the massive church to admire the stunning artworks within. From Giorgio Vasari’s massive apocalyptic fresco depicting the Last Judgement that snakes its way up the sides of the cathedral’s enormous dome to Paolo Uccello’s painted monument to the English mercenary John Hawkwood, discover how the great and the good of Florence all left their mark here. Learn too about Uccello’s incredible 15^th-century painted clock, one of the world’s oldest mechanical timepieces in operation. Measuring the antiquated ‘Italic hour’, that is the day from sunset to sunset, the clock offers a fascinating window into a forgotten world when time moved at a different rhythm.

Explore Florence’s Romanesque Baptistery and the Gates of Paradise

Angelo will also be taking you across the Piazza to the Florence Baptistery on our virtual tour. Dedicated to Florence’s patron saint John the Baptist, the stunning octagonal edifice is one of the oldest buildings in the city.

A pristine example of Florentine Romanesque architecture, the Baptistery is best known for its extraordinary series of bronze doors, including Lorenzo Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise. Find out why these doors would have a seismic impact on the development of Renaissance art, and how Michelangelo himself provided them with their famous nickname - the 'gates of paradise.' 

Tour Reviews

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