Home / Art History / Renaissance Art

Fascinating Video Reveals How Florence Built the World’s Largest Dome (At the Time)

By Jessica Stewart on May 29, 2023

Architect Manuel Bravo loves sharing his passion for history and architecture by creating informative videos about the world's most famous monuments. From the Egyptian pyramids to the Sagrada Familia, Bravo takes the time to break down everything you need to know about architecture and answers a lot of the public's burning questions. In one particular video, he focuses on one of the most well-known sites in Italy—the Florence Cathedral. Specifically, he shares the fascinating story of how one architect stepped up to the plate and successfully built what was, at the time, the world's largest dome.

Construction began on the church, officially called Santa Maria del Fiore, in 1296. But the mystery of how to build the dome wasn't solved until the city held an open competition in 1418 aimed at getting the job finished. It was then that sculptor and architect Filippo Brunelleschi decided to try his hand at tackling the intimidating project. His project won the competition, in part due to a scale model his friend and fellow sculptor Donatello helped him create.

Brunelleschi would spend the last part of his life focused almost entirely on building the dome. Cleverly looking to the architecture of ancient Rome and, specifically, the Pantheon, for inspiration, he was able to execute his vision and give the city a cathedral worthy of its reputation.

Over the course of 13 minutes, Bravo narrates a fascinating video that breaks down the full history of the glorious dome. From the initial competition to the construction techniques and finishing touches, he uses his love for the topic to educate us on how the iconic monument came to life. The video is a must-watch for anyone interested in architecture and history or anyone who loves Florence and wants to get a deeper understanding of its culture.