National Geographic History - USA (2022-05 & 2022-06)

FERNANDO BAPTISTA/NGS

SCAL

A, (^) FL
OREN
CE
The Lantern
In 1436 the cathedral was finally
consecrated. But there remained the
challenge of designing a lantern to filter light
entering the oculus at the top of the dome.
Brunelleschi won the design competition.
Antonio di Manetto Ciaccheri was put
in charge of the work after Brunelleschi’s
death. The lantern echoes the octagonal
design of the dome itself and its eight
pilasters are aligned with the ribs of the
dome. The drawing to the right is from a
Renaissance Florentine workshop.
Cranes
Brunelleschi created various machines to address
the complex challenges of building the dome
of Florence’s cathedral. These machines were
then used in other civil and military contexts.
The cranes and hoists he designed incorporated
complex animal-draft gears and locking systems
that prevented the huge sandstone blocks from
falling. To construct the lantern, smaller versions
of these machines were required that could be
powered by humans. They carried precision
mechanisms that allowed the large square-cut
stones (ashlars) to be positioned correctly.
Carga
BELOW AND RIGHT: SCALA, FLORENCE