Giotto’s Campanile

Work on Giotto’s Campanile began in 1334. Rising almost 85 metres beside the cathedral, this magnificent bell tower takes its name from Giotto, who designed the project and laid its first foundations.After his death, several architects took over, including Andrea Pisano and later Francesco Talenti, who finally completed the tower in 1359.Today, the campanile is regarded as one of the finest masterpieces of Florentine Gothic architecture. Its façades are covered in coloured marble, carefully designed to match the cathedral and baptistery beside it.Those willing to climb more than 400 steps are rewarded with one of the most spectacular views over Florence, including a superb close-up of Brunelleschi’s dome.The niches around the outside now contain replicas of sixteen life-sized statues depicting kings, sibyls and prophets. The original sculptures, however, are safely preserved in the Opera del Duomo Museum.Together with the many carved reliefs decorating the base, these remarkable figures help make Giotto’s Campanile one of the most beautiful bell towers in Italy.