Giotto's Campanile, Florence: Visit

Where: Piazza del Duomo, Florence
Best for: 84.7-meter Gothic bell tower
Allow: 45 minutes

Giotto’s Campanile is the freestanding bell tower beside Florence Cathedral, begun in 1334 under Giotto. He died in 1337, when only the first levels had been started; Andrea Pisano carried the work forward, and Francesco Talenti completed it in 1359, changing the initial design.

Square in plan, the tower measures about 15 metres on each side and rises to a projecting crown 84.7 metres above the ground. White, red and green marble forms geometric bands around three stacked loggias, with paired windows below and larger three-part windows above.

The sculptural program includes 26 hexagonal relief panels, 28 diamond-shaped panels on blue majolica, and 16 statues in upper niches. In the 20th century, originals from all three sculptural cycles were moved to the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo and replaced by copies on the tower.

With the Cathedral and Baptistery, the Campanile belongs to Florence’s historic centre recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage property. Its marble surface and layered sculpture make it a collective work of 14th-century Florentine Gothic. Continue with our Florence Baptistery guide and Florence guide.

Giotto’s Campanile rising beside the marble flank of the cathedral in Piazza del Duomo — Slim and tall, dressed in the same white, green and pink marble as the cathedral next to it.

Look closer

Looking steeply up the marble face of Giotto’s Campanile, with statues in niches and dramatic clouds — Looking up the marbleTilt your head back: panels, niches and pointed windows climb in tiers into the sky.

Brunelleschi’s red dome seen up close from the top terrace of Giotto’s Campanile, with the roofs of Florence beyond — The dome, up closeFrom the top the dome is close enough to read its white ribs, with the tiled roofs of the city spread beyond it.

View from the top of Giotto’s Campanile over Florence’s roofs toward the marble facade of Santa Croce and the hills — Over the roofsA sea of ochre roofs, with the white facade of Santa Croce and the hills behind it.

Three things worth finding

If you see nothing else, see these.

Marble and loggias
White, red and green marble wraps a square-based tower rising to a projecting crown at 84.7 metres; its three loggias open through paired and three-part windows.Across the exterior
Hexagonal relief panels
Twenty-six panels depict the creation of the progenitors and human activities. Andrea Pisano’s workshop made them, and Luca della Robbia completed the cycle.Lower sculptural cycle
Diamond panels on blue majolica
The 28 relief panels present planets, Christian virtues, liberal arts and sacraments as part of a cycle about the powers governing human life.Above the hexagonal panels

Plan your visit

Booking: Giotto Pass: Tower slot. Brunelleschi Pass: Dome slot; no separate Tower slot.
Time needed: 45 minutes
Best time: Plan around your booked Bell Tower slot if using the Giotto Pass; check Opera’s current calendar and notices before choosing the date.
Getting there: The entrance is at the rear of the tower on Piazza del Duomo, Florence. Autolinee Toscane lists Roma Duomo as a stop on routes C1 and C2, and Pucci Duomo on C1. Check live routes and service notices before setting out.
Accessibility: The ascent involves 414 steps and has no elevator. Opera says it is not accessible to people with reduced mobility and advises against climbing for people with heart conditions, vertigo or dizziness, or claustrophobia. Contact Opera before visiting to ask about access arrangements or disability-ticket eligibility; its ticket assistance does not provide an elevator or step-free ascent.

The Bell Tower is not sold as a single-monument ticket. Prices checked 17 October 2026: the Giotto Pass was €20 full price (€7 for ages 7–14; free for ages 0–6) and included the Bell Tower, Baptistery, Museum and Santa Reparata. The €30 Brunelleschi Pass (€12 for ages 7–14; free for ages 0–6) also included the Dome. Each pass was valid for three calendar days, with one entry per included monument. The Giotto Pass requires a Bell Tower time-slot; the Brunelleschi Pass requires a Dome time-slot but no separate Tower slot. Confirm current products and prices in the official ticket selector before purchase.

Before choosing the climb, check Opera’s current access and view notices. Compare the Giotto and Brunelleschi passes: their required time-slots apply to different monuments.

Official website

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Piazza del Duomo, 50122 Florence, Italy

Before you book

How many steps are there, and how long should I allow?

The climb has 414 steps. Opera recommends about 45 minutes for the ascent and visit; the tower has no elevator.

Which pass includes the Bell Tower?

Both the Giotto Pass and Brunelleschi Pass include it. On 17 October 2026, they cost €20 and €30 respectively; the first also includes the Baptistery, Museum and Santa Reparata, while the second adds the Dome.

Do I need a time-slot for the Tower?

With the Giotto Pass, choose a Bell Tower time-slot. With the Brunelleschi Pass, reserve a time for the Dome; no separate Tower slot is required during the pass’s three calendar days. Check current availability before booking.

Is the climb accessible?

There are 414 steps and no elevator. Opera states that the ascent is not accessible to people with reduced mobility and discourages it for people with heart conditions, vertigo or dizziness, or claustrophobia. Contact Opera about access questions before your visit.

Are the sculptures on the tower originals?

No. Originals from all three sculptural cycles were transferred to the Opera del Duomo Museum during the 20th century for conservation, and copies were placed on the tower.

What can I see from the top?

The summit balconies offer panoramic views of the city, including Brunelleschi’s Dome. Visibility and the view can vary; check current visitor notices before you go.