CUPOLA DI BRUNELLESCHI

The largest masonry dome in the world, with its thirty-seven thousand tons of bricks and tiles perched 115 metres above the void. A characteristic element of Roman architecture, the fascinating dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore illustrates Florence's desire to be the new Rome, while at the same time symbolizing the city's domination over the whole of Tuscany.

From 1420 to 1436, Florentines watched in awe as the immense dome of their new cathedral, financed by Cosimo the Elder, Florence's most powerful man, rose into the sky. Flirting with the limits of architecture (nearly 50 meters in diameter), the construction site was a veritable technical feat, requiring Filippo Brunelleschi (1377-1446) to invent new construction methods. It boasts a number of distinctive features: eight arches that meet perfectly at the top, a double roof (the outer dome protects the inner dome from atmospheric variations, and the two are linked by branches), vaults decorated by Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574) and Federico Zuccari (1540-1609) with an immense fresco depicting the theme of the Last Judgement.

At the top of the dome, the original gilded copper globe was designed with the help of Leonardo da Vinci, cast and installed between 1466 and 1471, after Brunelleschi's death. It was struck by lightning on February 16, 1600, causing extensive damage to the cathedral (the location is indicated by a plaque). A new globe, weighing 1,980 kg, was installed two years later, now protected by a modern lightning rod system.

The dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria della Fiore, which required almost four million bricks, has become not only the emblem of Florence, but also the very symbol of the Renaissance. In terms of volume, it represents the largest masonry dome ever built by man.

How did Filippo Brunelleschi, who was originally a goldsmith rather than an architect, manage to design such a solid yet elegant structure? Even today, this dome remains one of the great mysteries of art history. Brunelleschi did indeed create the architecture of a new era, followed for centuries, but left no written record of the dome's construction...

Practicalities: reservations are required to visit the dome. Access is via the left side of the cathedral (at the Porta della Mandorla). There are some 460 steps to climb!