Florence - Day 2

On our final day in Florence, we finished up our walking tour. We began at the Baptistery of St. John. This is a minor basilica. It is octagonal shaped and is one of the oldest buildings in the city. The building is renowned for its bronze doors, the east being built by Michelangelo known as the "Gate of Paradise." Italian poet Dante and many members of the Medici family were baptized here.

 The Baptistry

The Gates of Paradise

Next, we went right behind the Baptistery to the Florence Cathedral, also known as Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore. On August 18, 1418, a structural design competition for erecting Neri's dome was announced. The two main competitors were two master goldsmiths, Ghiberti and Brunelleschi.  Ghiberti had been winner of a competition for a pair of bronze doors for the Baptistery in. Since then, a lifelong competition between the two remained. Brunelleschi won and received the commission and designed the dome in the church. 

We finished up our day by taking a walking tour throughout the city to major landmarks of the Medici family.