The Florence Dome is fruit of the work done by various artists during the course of centuries. It was designed at the end of 1200 by Arnolfo di Cambio.
Filippo Brunelleschi created the cupola in Renaissance style and the facade dates back to late 1800. The structure was then enriched with the two sacristies, pavements in 16th century marmoreal, and frescoes by Paolo Uccello and Andrea del Castagno.
The Cathedral was named Santa Maria del Fiore in 1412 and rose above the original dedicated to Saint Reperata which existed up until its collapse in 1375; in the archeological area under the Duomo, remains from this cathedral with its two bell towers, in reduced dimensions as opposed to the ones we see today, can still be seen.
In 1293 the Florentine Republic decided to substitute the preexisting cathedral of Santa Reperata with one more sumptuous and therefore obligated the citizens to bequeath a sum for the building of the new Duomo. Arnolfo di Cambio worked on the project for 6 years from 1926 to 1302, the year he died. Not withstanding that the trend at the time was Gothic, Arnolfo conceived the Basilica with 3 naves that joined the main altar, the two bays and the new façade. After his death, Giotto was summoned to construct the bell tower and after him, Andrea Pisano, author of the south door of the Baptistery, continued up until 1348 the year of the great plague that cut the population in half.
From 1349 to 1359 the work passed on to Franco Talenti who completed the bell tower and designed a new project; the central nave was divided into four bays, while the two laterals were made rectangular. Around 1370, construction was nearly finished and the project of the apse was at a good point. Finally in 1375 Santa Reparata was completely torn down and the Duomo of Santa Maria del Fiore was ready to be the new cathedral of Florence.