Brunelleschi Dome Facts

The facts about Brunelleschi’s Dome mention that the dome was only added in 1420 when the cathedral was already under construction for a century. The building of the cathedral began in 1296 but the dome was not built until the early 15th century. The construction of the dome commenced in 1418 when Fillipo Brunelleschi proposed a design. The design was accepted and the dome was built under his supervision between 1420 and 1436.

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Opera del Duomo held a competition for an ideal dome design for the Florence Cathedral in 1418 and announced a huge prize of 200 gold Florins. They also gave six weeks for the contestants to show their design. The objective was not simple as the dome had to be started from a height of 150 feet and constructed without any buttress. Brunelleschi proposed the idea of building two domes, one nested inside the other, thus solving the problem of Florence’s octagonal dome.

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As per Brunelleschi Dome facts, the upper part of the drum was unfinished when Brunelleschi died in 1446. A competition was held almost 100 years after his death and it attracted many competitors including Michelangelo. Baccio d’ Agnolo, who was an Italian architect, won the contest and he started the construction of the dome. But his work received harsh criticism, including Michelangelo’s comment “It looks like a cricket cage!”. Baccio d’ Agnolo was offended and left the drum unfinished, like we see it today.

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Brunelleschi Dome remains an architectural mystery as it was built without any structure to support the masonry. Brunelleschi concealed many of his construction plans and hence experts have still not identified the exact mechanism of how the components of the dome connect with each other. His design included two domes which were connected by huge brick arches and interlocking rings of wood and stone. According to the facts about Brunelleschi’s Dome, he used the herringbone pattern to make the brickwork support itself with the vertical bricks acting as a support to the horizontal bricks.

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The secret terraces of the Florence Cathedral are located at a height of 32 metres above the ground and can be reached by climbing 150 steps. The way to the terraces start inside Dead North Tribune after crossing through an invisible door to a secret passage next to the main entrance. They have a long balcony that offers stunning views of Florence city, its monuments and the magnificent cupola. Brunelleschi Dome facts suggest that you can spot the intricate details of the marble decorations on the roseanne window from the top of the terraces.

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Brunelleschi was a goldsmith and a sculptor who grew up in Florence under the shadow of the cathedral. He started as an apprentice to a goldsmith at a very young age and mastered the art at 21 years. He wasn’t a trained architect but his unique thinking and design helped him create the Cathedral Dome which is one of the most iconic architectural elements in the world. He also studied the science of motion which came handy during the invention of some machinery needed for the construction of the dome.

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Brunelleschi Dome facts mention that the construction of the drum gallery, on which the base of the dome rests, was interrupted by Michalengalo’s offensive comment. He remarked at the segment built by Baccio d’Agnolo which made d’Agnolo quit his work, thus leaving the drum gallery unfinished. The Cathedral Museum features a wooden model of the dome gallery attributed to Michelangelo. As you walk around the Cathedral, you can see the only part of the dome with a gallery where via del Proconsolo meets via dell'Oriuolo.

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Brunelleschi not only designed the revolutionary dome but also created custom machines needed for its construction. Since there were no mechanical cranes during his time, heavy materials were lifted with an exercise wheel driven by a human walking in the structure. Brunelleschi needed a more efficient machine that would generate more power and lift the items to a greater height. So, he created a new three cogged wheel system driven by an ox, which can carry the objects up and down without having the oxen to change direction.

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