Where is the entrance to the Brunelleschi Dome?

The entrance to Brunelleschi's Dome (Cupola del Brunelleschi) is the Porta della Mandorla, on the north side of Florence Cathedral (Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore). The gate is set along the cathedral's left flank, several steps in from the main facade on Piazza del Duomo. It serves the dome climb only and is separate from the cathedral nave entrance. There is no ticket office at the gate, only a check-in point for pre-booked timed-slot vouchers.

The Porta della Mandorla works on a timed-slot system tied to each booked ticket. Slots run throughout the day, though the exact daily window shifts by season and on liturgical occasions; the current schedule appears at the time of booking. Visitors arrive 10 to 15 minutes before the booked slot. A maximum delay of five minutes is tolerated. Anyone arriving later forfeits the reservation.

On arrival, visitors line up at the gate and present their voucher together with a photo ID. Staff match the name on the ticket against identification, a rule enforced since March 2025. Once cleared, visitors begin the climb designed by Filippo Brunelleschi.

A few rules apply at this entrance:

• Large bags, backpacks, and umbrellas cannot pass the gate; luggage storage points operate nearby and hold them before entry.
• The route covers 463 steps through narrow corridors with no elevator.
• The climb is not suitable for visitors with heart conditions, vertigo, or claustrophobia.

The dome climb has no step-free option. The Porta della Mandorla opens directly onto a stairwell of 463 steps, and no elevator or alternative route reaches the cupola. Visitors who cannot use stairs cannot reach the dome viewpoint. The cathedral nave entrance, on the west facade facing Piazza del Duomo, has step-free access to the cathedral interior, which gives an alternative for visitors unable to climb.