This year, we celebrate the 6th centenary of the laying of the first stone of the Duomo of Florence by the architect and goldsmith Filippo Brunelleschi.
On August 7th 1420, this genius started the construction of the dome, a masterpiece of Gothic and early Italian Renaissance styles and one of the largest buildings in Christendom.
Filippo Brunelleschi never revealed the details of the plans for the largest masonry dome ever built but here are some numbers:
100 meters of interior height;
114.5 meters of exterior height;
45.5 meters outside diameter
41 meters of light
Time is remembered and 600 years later the dome of the cathedral still expresses the spirit of freedom impregnated by Brunelleschi in the skyline of Florence.
The Duomo of Florence is definitely imposing and inspiring simply to look at and once aware of the technical, architectural challenges that Brunelleschi had to overcome, one becomes awed by the whole monumental masterpiece.
All photos from Pixabay