A Unique Basilica
Engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi, The Basilica di Santa Maria is the cathedral church of Florence, Italy, begun in 1296 in the Gothic style to the design of Arnolfo di Cambioand completed structurally in 1436.
The exterior of the basilica is faced with polychrome marble panels in various shades of green and pink bordered by white and has an elaborate 19th century Gothic Revival facade by Emilio De Fabris.
The basilica is one of Italy's largest churches, and until the modern era, the dome was the largest in the world. It remains the largest brick dome ever constructed.
Several Architects:
church was designed by Arnolfo di Cambio and approved by city council in 1294.After Arnolfo died in 1302, work on the cathedral slowed for the following thirty years.In 1334 Giotto was appointed to oversee the work. Assisted by Andrea Pisano, Giotto continued along di Cambio's design. His major accomplishment was the building of the campanile. When Giotto died in 1337, Andrea Pisano continued the building until work was again halted due to theBlack Plague in 1348.
In 1349 work resumed on the cathedral under a series of architects, commencing with Francesco Talenti, who finished the campanile and enlarged the overall project to include theapse and the side chapels. In 1359 Talenti was succeeded by Giovanni di Lapo Ghini (1360–1369) who divided the center nave in four square bays. Other architects were Alberto Arnoldi, Giovanni d'Ambrogio, Neri di Fioravante and Orcagna.The nave was finished by 1380, and by 1418 only the dome remained incomplete.
In 1419, the Arte della Lana held a structural design competition for the dome. The two main competitors were Lorenzo Ghiberti and Filippo Brunelleschi who was supported by Cosimo de Medici, with Brunelleschi winning and receiving the commission.
The Ingenious Dome
The plan called for an octagonal dome higher and wider than any that had ever been built, with no external buttresses to keep it from spreading and falling under its own weight.
Brunelleschi's solutions were ingenious. The spreading problem was solved by a set of four internal horizontal stone and iron chains, serving as barrel hoops, embedded within the inner dome: one each at the top and bottom, with the remaining two evenly spaced between them. A fifth chain, made of wood, was placed between the first and second of the stone chains. Since the dome was octagonal rather than round, a simple chain, squeezing the dome like a barrel hoop, would have put all its pressure on the eight corners of the dome. The chains needed to be rigid octagons, stiff enough to hold their shape, so as not to deform the dome as they held it together.
The outer dome was not thick enough to contain embedded horizontal circles, being only 60 centimetres (2 ft) thick at the base and 30 centimetres (1 ft) thick at the top. To create such circles, Brunelleschi thickened the outer dome at the inside of its corners at nine different elevations, creating nine masonry rings
The Lantern
Brunelleschi's ability to crown the dome with a lantern was questioned and he had to undergo another competition. He was declared the winner over his competitors Lorenzo Ghiberti and Antonio Ciaccheri. His design was for an octagonal lantern with eight radiating buttressesand eight high arched windows.
Facade:
it is a neo-gothic façade in white, green and red marble forms a harmonious entity with the cathedral.
What i like?
the most interesting thing about the cathedral is the number of architects who dedicated their time and energy to the building.
and most of the structure was build during competitions between different artists.
it is a neo-gothic façade in white, green and red marble forms a harmonious entity with the cathedral.
A Glance At Interior and dome
The Gothic interior is vast and gives an empty impression. The relative bareness of the church corresponds with the austerity of religious life.
What i like?
the most interesting thing about the cathedral is the number of architects who dedicated their time and energy to the building.
and most of the structure was build during competitions between different artists.
