Brunelleschi's Dome

Brunelleschi’s Dome

God, for whom nothing is impossible, will not abandon us Brunelleschi

If Florence's behemoth of a cathedral, this St Mary of the Floral Wallpaper, was created for no other reason than to serve as a base for its dome, it would be more than enough. Brunelleschi’s dome, more than any landmark, makes Florence Florence. The dome (cupola in Italian) repeats the rhythm of the surrounding hills, echoing them with its height and beauty; from those city streets fortunate enough to have a clear view, it rises among the clouds with all the confident mastery, proportions, and perfect form that characterize the highest aspirations of the Renaissance.

But if it seems miraculous, it certainly isn’t divine; unlike the dome of the Hagia Sophia, suspended from heaven by a golden chain, Florence’s was made by man – one man, to be precise. Not winning the competition for the Baptistry doors was a bitter disappointment to the hot-tempered Filippo Brunelleschi. His reaction was typically Florentine; not content with being the second-best sculptor, he turned his talents to a field where he thought no one could beat him. He launched himself into an intense study of architecture and engineering, visiting Rome and probably Ravenna to snatch secrets from the ancients.