Such was the faith thirteenth century Florence had in the future, that its new Cathedral was designed with a hole in the roof, in the belief that the knowledge to build a dome to cap the building would be become available at a later date.
While work on the Cathedral was started in 1296, work on the dome by one Filippo Brunelleschi was only begun in 142o. The brief was to build a free-standing dome (flying buttresses were seen as Gothic and unattractive) higher and wider than anyone had built one before.
To gain inspiration, Brunelleschi travelled to the Pantheon in Rome to see how the ancients had tackled dome building.
Brunelleschi’s plan was to build the white ‘ribs’ of the dome first, and infill with overlapping bricks, starting at the bottom, the erection supporting itself as it went.
Brunelleschi designed appropriate tools as they were needed.
He then built an inner dome, which would provide stability. Lastly, the white ribs were fixed in place with a lantern.
The dome became the inspiration for Michelangelo’s St Peter’s in Rome, and also the Capitol in Washington DC.
I left Mark, suffering from a heavy cold, at home today, and climbed up to the top of the dome on my own. Was it worth it? The views were good, but I think they are better from the Boboli Gardens. However, if you like towers, do it. You also get good and close to the ‘Last Judgment’ by Georgio Vasari.
Tortoise Travel 