The Nave of the Santa Maria del Fiore, Firenze

The nave of the Santa Maria del Fiore is bordered by two aisles, one on either side. The nave and aisles are intersected by huge pointed arches supported by composite pillars which split the nave into four sections. The interior is huge, creating a hollow cavernous atmosphere. The aisles and the nave form a Roman cross. The width of the church  is over 90 metres at this crossing. The length of the church is around 125 metres. The height from the floor of the nave to the cupola of Brunelleschi's dome is 92 metres and the arches of the aisles are over twenty metres high. The vastness of the church contributes to an atmosphere of austerity.

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