City Climbers Monitor the Duomo

Looking to the sky in the city center in Florence almost always affords at least a glimpse of the Duomo, one of Florence’s most famous monuments. Recently though, visitors may see a small group of people repelling down all sides of the building. It’s not the filming for the latest Mission Impossible movie, but rather the work of a group monitoring the external surfaces of the Duomo.

To see aerial shots of the workers on the Duomo, visit Florence’s La Repubblica new site.

Descending from the height of 90 meters (130 feet), this coalition of six moves along Brunelleschi’s Dome, examining the exterior of the historic building, a job that will continue until the end of May. The city mountaineers are staff members of the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore and they do this check regularly, about twice a year.

Typically done at the beginning and at the end of winter, this facilitates workers to check in detail the approximately 40 thousand square meters of marble surfaces (430 sq. ft.), the state of preservation, and identify possible deteriorations and schedule restoration work. To help with any repairs, the direct heirs of the historical stonemasons who carried out the sculptural and architectural decorations of the cathedral and bell tower are dedicating their time to help preserve the heritage of this famous Florentine church. (cassandra yeam)