Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore
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The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, commonly called the Duomo, is the largest cathedral in Florence, and was built between 1296 and 1887.
Santa Maria Novella is the first of the great basilicas of Florence, and the city's principal Dominican church. The church, the adjoining cloister and chapter house contain a store of art treasures and funerary monuments. Especially famous are frescoes by masters of Gothic and early Renaissance. They were financed through the generosity of the most important Florentine families, who ensured themselves of funerary chapels on consecrated ground.
Assassin's Creed II Appearances
In 1478, it was here that Lorenzo de' Medici and his brother, Giuliano de' Medici, were attacked whilst attending High Mass, in the outbreak of the Pazzi Conspiracy. At the time, construction of the basilica was complete for the most part, though the front face had not yet been finished.
In one of the game's first missions, Ezio Auditore da Firenze beats up his sister Claudia's cheating boyfriend Duccio de Luca in the mission, "Beat a Cheat."
The church's side-tower, Giotto's Campanile contains the tallest viewpoint in Assassin's Creed II, and performing a leap of faith off of this structure gets you the achievement/trophy, High Dive.
The church is only accessible by entering the Assassin's Tomb of Darius; by exploring this Tomb and obtaining its seal, you will gain the achievement/trophy, Choir Boy.
Trivia
- The Santa Maria del Fiore is the tallest point in Florence, and in Italy in Assassin's Creed II, though it was still scaled down for the game.
- Oddly, missing from in front of the main entrance to the church is the Battistero di San Giovanni, which was built several hundred years before the events of the game.
- A feather is located at its pinnacle height.