imagine this it’s 14 18 in Florence Italy you’ve been challenged to build a
Italy you’ve been challenged to build a
Italy you’ve been challenged to build a great dome for the santa maria del fiore
great dome for the santa maria del fiore
great dome for the santa maria del fiore one of the grandest cathedrals ever
one of the grandest cathedrals ever
one of the grandest cathedrals ever built and you have no formal
built and you have no formal
built and you have no formal architectural training no pressure right
architectural training no pressure right
architectural training no pressure right for Filippo Brunelleschi a goldsmith and
for Filippo Brunelleschi a goldsmith and
for Filippo Brunelleschi a goldsmith and clock maker it was the opportunity of a
clock maker it was the opportunity of a
clock maker it was the opportunity of a lifetime he considered the challenge
lifetime he considered the challenge
lifetime he considered the challenge carefully then proposed a daring plan
carefully then proposed a daring plan
carefully then proposed a daring plan using methods that experts don’t fully
using methods that experts don’t fully
using methods that experts don’t fully understand even to this day at the time
understand even to this day at the time
understand even to this day at the time domes are often built as semi circles
domes are often built as semi circles
domes are often built as semi circles but the town fathers required that
but the town fathers required that
but the town fathers required that Brunelleschi build an eight sided dome
Brunelleschi build an eight sided dome
Brunelleschi build an eight sided dome that would be even taller and stronger
that would be even taller and stronger
that would be even taller and stronger it would also have no central support
it would also have no central support
it would also have no central support system to hold it up during construction
system to hold it up during construction
system to hold it up during construction even worse the domes base was an
even worse the domes base was an
even worse the domes base was an imprecise octagon with no true center
imprecise octagon with no true center
imprecise octagon with no true center but Brunelleschi had that covered there
but Brunelleschi had that covered there
but Brunelleschi had that covered there would be two domes instead of one an
would be two domes instead of one an
would be two domes instead of one an inner and an outer shell held together
inner and an outer shell held together
inner and an outer shell held together by giant brick arches and interlocking
by giant brick arches and interlocking
by giant brick arches and interlocking rings of stone and wood the Rings would
rings of stone and wood the Rings would
rings of stone and wood the Rings would work like hopes on a barrel keeping the
work like hopes on a barrel keeping the
work like hopes on a barrel keeping the dome from expanding outward
to move heavy loads hundreds of feet up
to move heavy loads hundreds of feet up Brunelleschi designed ingenious new
Brunelleschi designed ingenious new
Brunelleschi designed ingenious new machines including an ox driven oyster
machines including an ox driven oyster
machines including an ox driven oyster and massive lifting devices far ahead of
and massive lifting devices far ahead of
and massive lifting devices far ahead of their time
their time
their time so revolutionary design check
so revolutionary design check
so revolutionary design check groundbreaking engineering check can-do
groundbreaking engineering check can-do
groundbreaking engineering check can-do attitude check but with no central
attitude check but with no central
attitude check but with no central support system how would he actually
support system how would he actually
support system how would he actually build it first off the masonry would
build it first off the masonry would
build it first off the masonry would have to support itself during
have to support itself during
have to support itself during construction to do this Brunelleschi
construction to do this Brunelleschi
construction to do this Brunelleschi lays the bricks in a herringbone pattern
lays the bricks in a herringbone pattern
lays the bricks in a herringbone pattern which spiraled to the top of the dome
which spiraled to the top of the dome
which spiraled to the top of the dome with vertical bricks acting his bookends
with vertical bricks acting his bookends
with vertical bricks acting his bookends to hold the others in place they laid
to hold the others in place they laid
to hold the others in place they laid about one roll a week giving the mortar
about one roll a week giving the mortar
about one roll a week giving the mortar time to cure at this rate the dome grew
time to cure at this rate the dome grew
time to cure at this rate the dome grew at a snail’s pace of about a foot a
at a snail’s pace of about a foot a
at a snail’s pace of about a foot a month but perhaps most puzzling is how
month but perhaps most puzzling is how
month but perhaps most puzzling is how he was able to place the bricks with
he was able to place the bricks with
he was able to place the bricks with such precision many experts agree that
such precision many experts agree that
such precision many experts agree that he used guide ropes one theory states
he used guide ropes one theory states
he used guide ropes one theory states that ropes ran from a flower pattern on
that ropes ran from a flower pattern on
that ropes ran from a flower pattern on the work platform that showed exactly
the work platform that showed exactly
the work platform that showed exactly where the bricks should go another has
where the bricks should go another has
where the bricks should go another has ropes running from the dome center
ropes running from the dome center
ropes running from the dome center tracing a series of cones that grew
tracing a series of cones that grew
tracing a series of cones that grew smaller as they ascended to the top
smaller as they ascended to the top
smaller as they ascended to the top still another suggest a different
still another suggest a different
still another suggest a different arrangement of central ropes and wooden
arrangement of central ropes and wooden
arrangement of central ropes and wooden templates however it was done it worked
templates however it was done it worked
templates however it was done it worked the eight phases of the dome met at the
the eight phases of the dome met at the
the eight phases of the dome met at the top precisely
top precisely
top precisely just at Brunelleschi at planned
in all it took 16 years to complete the
in all it took 16 years to complete the dome when he dies in 1446 Brunelleschi
dome when he dies in 1446 Brunelleschi
dome when he dies in 1446 Brunelleschi left behind no sketches and no details
left behind no sketches and no details
left behind no sketches and no details as to exactly how he achieved his
as to exactly how he achieved his
as to exactly how he achieved his masterpiece today it remains the largest
masterpiece today it remains the largest
masterpiece today it remains the largest masonry dome in the world more than 500
masonry dome in the world more than 500
masonry dome in the world more than 500 years after it was built
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