History of Brunelleschi's Dome

In 1419 there was a competition to design a new dome to the cathedral. The two most important competitors were Lorenzo Ghiberti (famous for his work in "Gates of Paradise" in the baptistry) and Filippo Brunelleschi.

An anonymous architect of the era even suggests that the cathedral was filled with soil before lifting the dome in order to build the dome shaped above ground.

The idea of Brunelleschi to crown the dome with a large flashlight was put in doubt, resulting in another competition for the award. His competitors were Cachieri and Antonio Lorenzo Ghiberti, but Brunelleschi was the winner.

His design was for an octagonal lantern with eight flying buttresses and eight arched windows (now on display in the Museum of the Opera del Duomo). The construction of the torch began a few months before his death in 1446. Its construction was slowed for 25 years without progress, due to the interventions made by several architects. His friend Michelozzo finally completed the construction in 1461. The conical roof, was topped by Verrocchio in 1469, with a layer of copper and a cross containing relics. It used a crane specially designed by Leonardo da Vinci. The later structure has a total height of 114.50 meters between the dome and the lantern. The cover of copper was hit by lightning on July 17 of 1600 and fell. Another one replaced it even bigger, two years later. The dome of Florence did not suffer any major restorations since then, and it is one of the monuments that since its construction, has been regarded as perfect.

The decoration of the drum in the gallery, made by Baccio d'Agnolo was never finished. Verrocchio completed the construction of the cathedral, started in 1296 with the design of Arnolfo di Cambio, in 1469.

A huge statue of Brunelleschi is now erected outside the Palazzo dei Canonici in the Piazza del Duomo, looking thoughtfully to his work, the dome that always dominated the landscape of Florence, the forerunner of many architectural achievements.