"Florence Cathedral"

The cathedral’s dome is the largest brick dome that was ever constructed and marks an important turning point in European architecture, away from the medieval Gothic style and into the new Renaissance era. The structure was completed in 1436 and Its façade was completed 500 years after the main building was completed. Brunelleschi’s dome wasn’t just the largest dome in the world for a very long period, but that it remains the largest brick dome to be ever built in history.

To ensure the dome would sustain its weight, he studied the dome of the Pantheon in Rome extensively, together with Donatello, the famous sculptor. Brunelleschi decided not to use the Medieval Gothic style which included buttresses to support the dome, but return to the ancient method of constructing a dome, but had to be creative to make it work. That’s why he integrated 4 horizontal stone and iron chains in the interior of the octagonal dome to ensure it wouldn’t collapse under its weight.

Brunelleschi also built the copula which sits on top of the dome. The final decoration was a copper ball and cross which contained holy relics and which was put on top of this copula. the ball was made by Leonardo da Vinci's teacher, Andrea del Verrocchio in 1469 and it brought the height of the cathedral to 376 feet.

The construction of this dome turned out to become one of the first major projects in Renaissance architecture.