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-THE ISLAND LIFE-
PIAZZA DIL DUOMO FLORENCIA
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.
“It can’t be done” was transformed into, it’s been done"
Its beauty is only part of its charm—the true enchantment is the story behind every brick it's an impossible feat that became reality.
At the time, no one believed it was possible to build a dome of this size without wooden supports. The technology of the era had never faced such a challenge, yet Brunelleschi defied the skeptics and created something that seemed unthinkable.
What makes the dome a unique achievement?
Double structure: Brunelleschi designed a double shell with an empty space between, reducing weight and evenly distributing the load.
Herringbone brickwork: This special brick pattern provided the dome’s stability, allowing each layer to support the next without scaffolding.
Creativity and ingenuity: Without advanced calculations or modern tools, Brunelleschi used models and intuition to solve problems that would have deterred many others.
In Florence, on Wednesday 7 August 1420, the Opera del Duomo, under the watchful eye of Filippo Brunelleschi, began the construction of the Cathedral Dome of Santa Maria del Fiore. Even today, this mysterious and fascinating building for its history and its particularity, represents the largest dome in the world in masonry: built with bricks, with its famous "herringbone".
The guided tour, carried out by thespecialized personnel of Opera, with the help of drawings, photos and graphic reconstructions will take place at the foot of the Dome, in the space below and adjacent to the central choir - within a space usually closed to the public -, where it is possible to admire it in its complete breadth. Following an introduction to the construction of the Cathedral, for a total duration of 30/40 minutes, the participant will then have the priority access to climb up the Dome independently.
To put it mildly, Filippo Brunelleschi wasn't exactly the most conventional choice to transform the landscape of Florence. So when the notoriously hotheaded goldsmith won a competition to design a dome for the city's cathedral in 1418, it may have come as a bit of a shock to the public, who'd been promised a world class cupola for the structure decades earlier.
"Filippo Brunelleschi had no formal training as an architect or engineer and was widely mocked and derided when he proposed his design for the dome," says Nashville-based architect and designer David Wildman of duVisst/DesignWild. "His formal training was as a goldsmith and sculptor."
So how did this unlikely character wind up creating one of the most iconic architectural achievements, well, ever? Brunelleschi's out-of-the-box thinking is very likely what put this enduring Italian landmark on the map and helped solidify his reputation as one of the world's most famous innovators in art and engineering.
The Contest to Build a Dome Without Buttresses
When the Florentine fathers announced a contest for the ideal dome design in 1418, architectstraveled from all over the world for a shot at fame (and a generous 200 gold florin cash prize). But the objective wasn't simple — the dome would have to be almost 150 feet (46 meters) across and have to start 180 feet (55 meters) above the ground, atop the existing walls of the church, which was built in 1296.
The other major issue: The building plans didn't include pointed arches or the use of flying buttresses, which are inclined beams that carry a half arch projecting from the walls of a structure to a pier that supports the weight of a roof, dome or vault. Both of these elements were commonly used in the traditional Gothic style employed by rival cities like Milan. And they were the only known elements that could actually hold up a structure as monumental as the dome of a cathedral — whoever won the contest would need to envision some way around their absence.
"It was built without any centering support which was traditionally used to support a dome during construction and it was also built without any buttresses which were commonly used to reinforce domes from spreading," Wildman says. "The choice to build the cathedral without buttresses had been made prior to Brunelleschi winning the competition for the dome. There wasn't enough wood in Tuscany to construct centering to support the dome and so the design of the dome called for an ingenious solution
When was the Duomo built?
The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore was supposed to be built in 1296, but they couldn't finish it. It took about two centuries to complete this architectural wonder, marking its completion in 1436.
How did Brunelleschi solve the problem of the dome?
Brunelleschi implied the tactic of employing sets of diagonal ribs based on the pointed arch and solved the problem of the dome.
What is special about Brunelleschi's dome?
The dome was built by Brunelleschi and was the biggest dome in the world at the time of its construction. It also is considered one of the most significant architectural achievements of the Renaissance, still today.
Brunelleschi's dome is not just a lesson in architecture; it’s a lesson in boldness and perseverance. It represents the ability to overcome any obstacle through human ingenuity and the determination to pursue a dream that seems impossible.
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