Lower part  of Giotto's Bell Tower

The pink, white and green marbles which decorate the lower part of the tower are particularly impressive.  The first level is composed of seven hexagonal panels on each side of the tower save for the east side which only has five panels because of the door. The second level is composed of seven lozenges on each side and the third level possesses four niche statues on each side.

The niche statues on the west side, which date from the 1340's, are by Andrea Pisano and depict David, Solomon and two Sibyls. Four prophets, completed in the 1330s, are depicted on the south side. The east side features statues of Abraham and Isaac, the Bearded Prophet and the Thinker (Il Pensatore) completed in or around 1420 by Donatello . On the north side there are statues of an unnamed prophet,  Habacuc and Jeremias by Donatello and a statue of  Abdias by Nanni di Bartolo. These sculptures were probably added in the 1420s. The statues of Habacuc and Jerimias are modelled on the features of Giovanni Chiericini and Francesco Sodierni who were sworn enemies of the Medicis, the Florentine family who, despite strong opposition, effectively took control of the city in 1434.

© 2007 LACT Limited. All rights reserved. Image published under GNU Free Documentation License version 1.2 or later.

Venice   Paris   Barcelona   Munich  Prague