In 1334 Giotto designed and began building the campanile beside the Duomo in Florence. He died before he could complete the 82 metre structure and Andrea Pisano and Francesco Talenti took over the work.
There are 414 steps to the top and they needed to be climbed. I did not attack the steps at a fast pace. Climbing steps is not something I enjoy, but I wanted to get to the top and there is no other way. As you would expect, the steps are narrow and steep.
It is a long way up.
There are stops along the way where you can admire the view and catch your breath.
It was quite windy the day I climbed the Campanile and even inside it is drafty because there are lots of glassless windows as well as the open viewing floors.
The dome of the Cathedral looks different as you climb.
Please note the ceiling, just to prove I made it to the top.
Here are the views from the top.
Here are the people on top of the dome taking photos of the people in the Campanile.
And then it was time to climb down the 414 steps.
There were a few stops on the way down as well.
As I was walking past the Duomo after my climb I heard a tourist say casually to his friend “That’s a church over there”. I call that an understatement. I hope Brunelleschi wasn’t listening.
It costs €6 to climb the Campanile and it is open from 8.30am until 6.50pm most days.
It is not nearly as bad as the tower in Bologna, which has 498 rickety stairs.
Click here to see my efforts there and here for my climb to the top of the Guinigi tower in Lucca. What’s next?