Florence Cathedral from Giotto’s Campanile, Italy

Florence Cathedral from Giotto’s Campanile, Florence, Italy offers one of the most spectacular architectural perspectives in the world. Climbing to the top of the bell tower, located next to the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, allows you to capture the brilliant design and details of Filippo Brunelleschi’s iconic dome.

It was our last morning in Florence, and although this viewpoint is better suited for an afternoon or evening visit, we had no choice but to go since we wanted to see this monument towering above the skyline before we left. Because of the tight stairs in the bell tower, you are not allowed to take a tripod with you, so I had to resort to handheld shooting. I feel the black and white rendition works perfectly for this strong, almost cloudless morning light.

While Il Duomo refers to the cathedral itself, it is Brunelleschi’s revolutionary cupola, completed in 1436, that remains the largest masonry dome ever built—a masterpiece of Renaissance engineering that completely redefined the Florentine skyline. In the background, the historic center of Florence stretches out toward the rolling Tuscan hills.

Copyright Milan Hutera, 2016. All Rights Reserved.