Florence Cathedral Lantern

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Lantern of the Dome
Santa Maria del Fiore (Saint Mary of the Flower)
Piazza del Duomo
Florence, December 2018

“In 1418, the competition for the construction of the Florence Cathedral Lantern was held, and Brunelleschi emerged victorious. However, the directors had but one more stipulation that Lorenzo Ghiberti should collaborate with him as an overseer for the work. Distraught and frustrated, Brunelleschi was so irritated that he nearly wrecked his model. It was his friends Luca Della Robbia and Donatello that in place advised him to fake he was ill and turn in all responsibility and obligations to Ghiberti. Having followed their guidance, it wasn't too long until Ghiberti came to a cessation and disclosed that he was unable to grasp the full workings and implementation of the project. Having emerged victorious over his rival, Brunelleschi commenced the erection of the lantern in 1420 and immersed the rest of his lifetime working on the project, even though he did still oversee the construction of other monuments that were vital to the legacy of Renaissance Florence. The last tribute that he erected consisted of a 91 metres high double cupola of brick, wholly self-supporting and grounded on a profound system of flying instead of using fixed centre rings. The peripheral of the cupola spotted stone ribs and domical vaults, but all together reproducing the same pointy arch profile desired to utter precision. In 1434, the Prodigious Cupola or the ‘Cupolone’, as the locals often christened it ever since erection, was finalized. Two years down the line, the lantern was in turn locked in position, taking the momentous construction from 91 to 114.5 Metres. While in 1438, the tribunes occupying recesses formed in the construction of the octagon lantern apse were built. The adornments in the lantern, on the other hand, were concluded by 1446, when Brunelleschi was on his deathbed. In 1461, finishing touches to the lantern’s decorations were done, with the placing of the remarkable copper sphere being done by 1474. Cast in Verrocchio’s workshop and pulleyed up through a machine constructed with aid of Leonardo da Vinci. However, on July 17th 1600, the bell fell on the account of being hit by lightning and was interchanged two years down the line with an even bigger one. A marble plaque honouring this occurrence is still discernable on the paving behind the cathedral.” (Florence Cathedral Lantern, www.filippo-brunelleschi.com)