Reading Response 7

Cathedral of Florence

The Cathedral of Florence is located in Italy and was among the last cathedral in the city to be built.  The plan for the building was designed by Arnolfo di Cambio (1232-1300).   It began in the year 1294.

~ has a broad nave and a octagonal, domed apse

~ meant as homage to city’s patron St. Reparata

~ dedicated to Virgin Mary

~ no buttresses on exterior

~ it was re designed on a larger scale in 1350’s

~ new part was as wide as the Pantheon

~ 60 meters high

~ had difficult time reconstructing and changing the design

~ builders focused on all aspects but the dome

~  won a competition for an ingenious system

~ the dome had a oculus of 7 meters in diameter

~ had a heavy lantern that was built in 1446

~ design was one of the engineering marvels of the age

~ the dome is an important element in monumental European architecture

This picture gives you a great sense of just how big this Cathedral was compared to all of the other buildings in the city.

This is the interior view of all of the paint details inside the large dome.

This is a 3-D model that helped me to understand the actual shape of it as if I was viewing it in person and not in a photo.