How Did Filippo Brunelleschi Build the Cupola?
Filippo Brunelleschi had to solve a problem when he designed the cupola for the cathedral of Florence. The cathedral's design called for a low cupola, but the lower part of the cathedral had been modified. Ultimately, the space was too large for the original cupola.
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Brunelleschi
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Brunelleschi was an architect and sculptor who studied Roman monuments and deduced the mathematical principles used to construct them. In 1423, he became the superintendent of the dome’s construction and used the laws of perspective he had developed to complete the main dome in 1434.
The Cupola
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The diameter of the dome, 41.5 meters, was the main difficulty. In 1346, a similar dome had collapsed, and no cupolas of that size had been built since the Roman Pantheon. Using Roman techniques, Brunelleschi created a structure of bricks in a herringbone pattern to raise the wall in rings. The 27,000 tons of masonry were bonded with vertical elements to make the dome self-supporting, eliminating the need for the traditional wooden armature. A lighter exterior cupola was added to protect the heavier inner one.
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Completion
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Although the main dome was completed in 1434, the lantern was not placed until 1436, making the dome 114.5 meters high. Brunelleschi was on his deathbed when the decorations in the lantern were finished in 1446.
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References
- Photo Credit Christof Koepsel/Digital Vision/Getty Images
