Marble statues depicting Pope Boniface VIII and two Prophets. The statues were sculpted by Arnolfo di Cambio and his assistants for the facade of the cathedral in late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries. These statues were again part of the lavish design of the original facade of the Cathedral. The statue of Pope Boniface VIII, standing 2.80 meters tall without its pedestal, was fashioned from three large blocks of marble and several smaller slabs. Arnolfo himself only carved the head, leaving his assistants to carve the rest. Pope Boniface VIII had strong political links to the Florentine church, one of them being to Francesco Monaldeschi, who was Bishop of Florence when building on the new Cathedral was started. The Pope donated 3000 florins towards its construction in 1296. Arnolfo planned to decorate the facade with various statues of prophets, among them the two shown here.