Giotto’s Campanile Tours: The Bell Tower & the Best View of the Dome
Quick summary: Giotto’s Campanile is the free-standing bell tower beside Florence Cathedral, a masterpiece of Gothic design begun by the painter Giotto in 1334. The climb of 414 steps rewards you with what many consider the finest view in Florence — because, unlike the dome climb, the Campanile looks directly across at Brunelleschi’s dome itself. Clad in the same pink, green and white marble as the cathedral and decorated with fine relief sculpture, it is part of the Duomo complex and covered by the combined ticket. It has viewing terraces at several levels.
Giotto’s Campanile at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| What it is | The cathedral’s free-standing bell tower |
| Begun by | Giotto, in 1334 |
| Height | Around 84.7 metres |
| Steps | 414, no lift |
| Marble | Pink, green and white, matching the cathedral |
| Key advantage | The best view of Brunelleschi’s dome |
| Viewing levels | Terraces at several stages up |
| Decoration | Fine Gothic relief panels (originals in the museum) |
| Ticketing | Part of the Duomo combined ticket |
What Is Giotto’s Campanile?
Giotto’s Campanile is the free-standing bell tower standing beside Florence Cathedral, and one of the finest Gothic towers in Italy.
It was begun in 1334 by Giotto — the great painter who is often credited with launching the Renaissance in art — who designed it and oversaw the first stage before his death. It was completed by Andrea Pisano and Francesco Talenti. Clad in the same pink, green and white marble as the cathedral and Baptistery, it forms part of the harmonious group of buildings at the heart of Florence.
Standing around 84.7 metres tall, the Campanile is both a work of art in its own right — decorated with fine relief sculpture — and, for visitors, a climb to one of the best viewpoints in the city.
Why Climb Giotto’s Campanile?
The single best reason to climb the Campanile is the view of Brunelleschi’s dome.
This is the crucial distinction between the two climbs at the Duomo. From the top of the dome, you get a magnificent panorama of Florence — but you cannot see the dome itself, because you are standing on it. From the Campanile, directly opposite, you look straight across at the dome in all its glory, the great red cupola filling the view with the city beyond. For the classic, photograph-perfect view of the dome, the Campanile is the place.
Beyond that headline view, the tower offers a superb panorama of Florence in every direction — the rooftops, the Arno, the surrounding hills — from a series of terraces on the way up.
How Many Steps Is the Campanile Climb?
The climb is 414 steps, with no lift.
That makes it a slightly shorter climb than the dome’s 463 steps, but still a demanding ascent up a stone staircase. Unlike the dome, however, the Campanile is a more conventional tower climb — the staircase is enclosed but does not follow the leaning, curving passages of the dome’s double shell, so it tends to feel less claustrophobic.
The tower also has viewing terraces at several levels, which means you can pause, catch your breath and enjoy the view partway up rather than climbing the whole way in one push. For visitors who find the dome climb’s narrow passages off-putting, the Campanile is often the more comfortable of the two climbs.
What Is the Sculpture on the Campanile?
The Campanile is decorated with a celebrated series of Gothic relief panels and statues, making it a work of sculpture as well as architecture.
The lower levels carry hexagonal and lozenge-shaped reliefs depicting the creation of man, the arts and sciences, the planets and the sacraments — a complete medieval scheme of human knowledge and endeavour. Above them stood statues of prophets and sibyls, including works by Donatello.
As with the Baptistery doors, the panels and statues on the tower today are replicas: the originals are preserved in the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo. Seeing both the tower and the museum gives the full picture of the sculptural programme, another reason the museum pairs well with the rest of the complex.
How Does the Campanile Compare to the Dome Climb?
The two climbs are complementary, and many visitors do both.
The dome climb takes you through Brunelleschi’s engineering, past the interior frescoes, to the highest point — but cannot show you the dome itself. It is steeper and more enclosed.
The Campanile climb is slightly shorter, less claustrophobic, has terraces to rest on, and crucially gives you the best view of the dome. What it cannot offer is the experience of climbing through the dome’s structure.
If you only climb one, the choice depends on what you want: the dome for the engineering and the frescoes and the top-most view, or the Campanile for the view of the dome and an easier ascent. For the complete experience, both — ideally the dome first, then the Campanile to admire what you climbed.
What Do Campanile Tours Cover?
A typical visit or tour takes in:
1. The climb of 414 steps, with terraces at several levels 2. The view of Brunelleschi’s dome — the tower’s signature reward 3. The panorama of Florence in every direction 4. The relief sculpture on the tower’s lower levels (replicas in place) 5. The link to the museum, where the original sculptures are displayed
The Campanile is usually climbed as part of a wider Duomo complex visit, on the same combined ticket.
Practical Tips for Climbing the Campanile
- Climb it for the view of the dome — the best in the city.
- 414 steps, no lift, but with terraces to rest on the way up.
- Less claustrophobic than the dome climb, if enclosed spaces concern you.
- It’s on the Duomo combined ticket, with the dome, Baptistery and museum.
- Go at a quieter time for space on the terraces.
- Do the dome first, then the Campanile, to admire the dome you climbed.
- See the museum for the original relief panels and Donatello statues.
Are Giotto’s Campanile Tours Worth It?
For the view of Brunelleschi’s dome alone, climbing Giotto’s Campanile is one of the most rewarding things to do in Florence — and for many visitors it edges out the dome climb itself.
The case rests on that view. The Campanile is the one place that gives you the classic, complete sight of the great red dome, filling the frame with the city spread beyond — the image most people picture when they think of Florence. Add a superb panorama in every other direction, the terraces that let you pause and take it in, and a climb that is slightly shorter and less enclosed than the dome’s, and it is an outstanding viewpoint made comfortable.
The tower is also a masterpiece in its own right — begun by Giotto, clad in the cathedral’s marble, and carved with a complete medieval scheme of reliefs whose originals wait in the museum.
Because it is part of the Duomo combined ticket, the Campanile involves no separate decision beyond whether to make the climb. For the best view of the dome, and an easier ascent than the dome itself, it is well worth it — and, paired with the dome climb, completes the finest pair of viewpoints in Florence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Giotto’s Campanile is the free-standing bell tower beside Florence Cathedral, begun in 1334 by the painter Giotto and completed by Andrea Pisano and Francesco Talenti. Around 84.7 metres tall and clad in the same pink, green and white marble as the cathedral, it is one of the finest Gothic towers in Italy and can be climbed for the views.
The climb is 414 steps, with no lift — slightly fewer than the dome’s 463. Unlike the dome, the Campanile is a more conventional tower climb without the leaning, curving passages of the dome’s double shell, so it tends to feel less claustrophobic, and it has viewing terraces at several levels where you can pause.
They are complementary. The dome climb takes you through Brunelleschi’s engineering and past the frescoes to the highest point, but cannot show you the dome itself. The Campanile, directly opposite, gives the best view of the dome and is a slightly shorter, less enclosed climb. For the classic view of the dome, climb the Campanile; for the engineering, climb the dome. Many visitors do both.
The best view of the dome is from the top of Giotto’s Campanile, directly opposite. From the dome itself you cannot see the cupola because you are standing on it; from the Campanile you look straight across at the great red dome with the city beyond — the classic, photograph-perfect view of Florence.
Yes. Giotto’s Campanile is one of the five elements of the Duomo complex and is covered by the same combined ticket as the dome climb, the Baptistery and the museum. It is usually climbed as part of a wider Duomo complex visit.
The tower’s lower levels carry a celebrated series of Gothic relief panels depicting the creation of man, the arts and sciences, the planets and the sacraments, with statues of prophets and sibyls including works by Donatello above. The panels and statues on the tower today are replicas; the originals are preserved in the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo.