Submitted by Elizabeth Malaszczyk on the 2019 summer session program in Italy sponsored by the School of Nursing…
This past week, my study abroad group and I had the opportunity to climb to the top of the dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in the center of Florence. This grand piece of architecture is one of the most picturesque churches in all of Italy. It has several components: the baptistery, the bell tower, named for the famous painter Giotto and the famous dome. This masterpiece took 140 years to complete and is composed of three kinds different marble. As I looked up at this Italian treasure, I couldn’t help but compare it to other pieces of architecture in the United States. The differences in the way architecture is made in the United States and Italy are vast as well as the factors that motivate these buildings. The rich religious background that goes into these masterpieces is what fuels these beauties. The reverence that the Italians have for their religion was reflected in this work of art.
