The dome of the cathedral in Florence was an engineering feat. In the beginning there was a half dome, and legend has it that the people of Florence prayed to have God send someone to figure out how to build a 150 foot in diameter dome with a 171 feet height without scaffolding. They had calculated that the scaffolding needed would be more that all the timber in Tuscany.
Their prayers were answered when Brunelleshchi, a clockmaker and a jeweler, figured out how to build the dome without major scaffolding. He was inspired by the dome on the Pantheon in Rome which was made of a single concrete shell filled with silver coins. If you are interested in reading more on his ingenious solutions, click here.
As we enjoy seeing this beautiful dome made of herringbone bricks, it is important to note that to this day it remains the largest dome in the world. The people of Florence built a statue of Brunelleschi in the duomo's piazza to honor him for his genius.
May your prayers be answered!
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