A crane with a 135-metre-long arm is being used to conduct checks on Giotto’s bell tower, part of Florence Cathedral.
Skilled workers are checking the pinnacle log, known as the “pennone”, of the famous monument.
The “pennone” of Giotto’s bell tower is a 14-metre-tall red cypress tree originating from woodland in the Sieve Valley. In the past it was a fir tree from the Casentino forests, used by the cathedral’s administration from 1380 to 1838. The “pennone” has been replaced several times over the centuries, most recently in 2000. The wooden pinnacle is topped with a cross and golden ball, containing holy relics.
The work is part of restoration, which began in March 2017, conducted on the monument’s wooden roof.
