Geometrical and Static Aspects of the Cupola of Santa Maria Del Fiore, Florence (Italy)
Structural Analysis of Historic Construction – D’Ayala & Fodde (eds) © 2008 Taylor & Francis Group, London, ISBN 978-0-415-46872-5 Geometrical and static aspects of the Cupola of Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence (Italy) A. Cecchi & I. Chiaverini Department of Civil Engineering, University of Florence, Florence, Italy A. Passerini Leonardo Società di Ingegneria S.r.l., Florence, Italy ABSTRACT: The purpose of this research is to clarify, in the language of differential geometry, the geometry of the internal surface of Brunelleschi’s dome, in the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence; the statics of a Brunelleschi-like dome have also been taken into consideration. The masonry, and, in particular, the “lisca pesce” one, together with the construction and layout technologies, have been main topics of interest for many researchers: they will be the subjects of further research. 1 INTRODUCTION: THE DOME OF THE CATHEDRAL OF FLORENCE The construction of the cathedral of Firenze was begun in the year 1296, with the works related to the exten- sion of the ancient church of Santa Reparata: it was designed byArnolfo (1240,1302).The design included a great dome, based on an octagonal base, to be erected in the eastern end of the church.The dome is an unusual construction of the Middle Ages, (Wittkower 1962): Arnolfo certainly referred to the nearby octagonal bap- tistery San Giovanni, so ancient and revered that the Florentines believed it was built by the Romans, as the temple of Ares, hypothesis which was not con- firmed by excavations, that set the date of foundation Figure 1.
[Show full text]