Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore

We've slowly been picking up on the culture the last few days and getting used to the Italian lifestyle. We've spent much of our down time this week exploring the city and starting to get a good grasp of its layout. I had gelato last night for the first time. It was a bitter sweet moment in that it was amazing, but also brought about a realization that I will never again be content with American "ice cream." Today we continued orientation and took a trip to the train station to learn what to do when we travel. I've never been on a train before and look forward to the experience, assuming it is equivalent to the Hogwarts Express. After orientation we decided to go inside of the Duomo, the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, the symbol of Florence. It's construction began in 1296 but was not completed structurally until 1436. The intricate exterior carvings are unbelievable and the shear scale of the interior nave is something you have to experience in person. I'm looking forward to seeing more cathedrals over the course of the semester. I'll let the pictures describe the rest.