Florence Day 2.5: Duomo

• Something I wish I had an image of that I loved immensely but sadly could not bring out my camera to sneak a photograph. Clearly one of my favorite Florence locations. Oh the ego to be buried in a place like this!

• I also spent a whole lot of time here (another unable to photograph locale) where Galileo was denounced after declaring the earth was round.

• Fortunately I was able to photograph the Duomo. I waited in this line listening to a vapid high school conversation (oh for my i-pod) for over an hour.



The stairs were torturous due to the fact that it was claustrophobic and hot as hell especially when some people got off track and ended up going down the same way they came up. We ascended in between the interior and exterior dome for what seemed like 30 minutes (this image is close to the top):



Once exiting the stairs (clearly not handicapped accessible), the breeze and view were marvelous. Holding on with the death grip looking down toward the Baptistry:



Two views from the top of: Santa Croce and north toward the Academy respectively:





Trying for a crowdless photograph of the exterior of the Duomo after exiting (one of my favorite buildings in Europe):



The obligatory Baptistry Door photograph which was indeed beautiful: