There are plenty of reasons why Italy is often considered a notch above the rest – cultural heritage, amazing churches and cathedrals, stunning beaches, impeccable cuisine… But there is one lesser talked about reason which truly makes Italy an architectural marvel – the domes in Italy!
The Origin of the Dome | Who Did It First?
Let’ start at the beginning – what exactly is a dome? Simple answer is – it is a semi-spherical vault that usually covers a square space. Evidence suggest that domes date back 6000 years starting in the old Mesopotamia. Nevertheless, it was the Romans who achieved technical excellence in building domes.
Domes in Italy | Mastering the Art of the Dome
Emperors of Ancient Rome were accustomed to building thermal and public baths, such as the Baths of Caracalla, as well as buildings with domes in order to achieve more open and grandiose interiors. A perfect example of this is the Pantheon, 2nd century AD, a majestic temple, now a catholic church, located in the center of Rome and built under emperor Hadrian. The Pantheon is one of the most impressive examples of the architectural genius Romans were capable of and has fascinated visitors and architects for over 2000 years.
It’s not just the Pantheon’s dome which is impressive, but the oculus of the dome which is an architectural challenge which continues to amaze engineers from all around the world, and even famous architects such as Filippo Brunelleschi, famous for his design of the Cathedral of Florence’s Dome.
Even if you visit the Pantheon today, it is almost unbelievable to understand how it is possible that the dome can stand after all this time, especially considering the enormous opening at its top. Today, experts understand that it is this very opening, the oculus, which is precisely the key to sustain the weight of the dome (almost five tons).
Other characteristic elements of this dome are its sunken panels – the coffers. They help alleviate the weight of the dome and give an unmistakable appearance to the interior of the Pantheon of Agrippa.
But these coffers are not the only ones in Italy. Naples is home to a church which was inspired by the Pantheon – the Church of San Francesco di Paola, located in Piazza del Plebiscito, the city’s main square. This church was built in the 19th century, in a Neoclassical style very similar in appearance to the Pantheon in Rome. The one in Naples is bigger, it is 53 meters high, and it also have sunken panels which visually can be very confusing to the onlooker.
Renaissance Domes | Brunelleschi & Michelangelo
More than a millennium later, the Tuscan architect Filippo Brunelleschi decided to make history in the 15th century, when he designed a dome to accompany the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral with a dome – now considered “Brunelleschi’s Dome”.
Brunelleschi was known to have used previously unpublished architectural concepts, building a kind of double dome, egg-shaped dome, constructed with more than 4 million of bricks. The dome has a height of 114 meters and 45 meters of diameter, and now offers the tourists the most impressive views of Florence by climbing to the top of it.
If Brunelleschi made History in Florence, Michelangelo did just the same in the Eternal City of Rome. In the middle of the 16th century, the Florentine artist received the commission to build Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City. He contributed to St. Peter’s Basilica with many artistic wonders, but he is most known for his work on the most important dome of Christianity, as well as the highest! Michelangelo’s Dome in St. Peter’s Basilica has a height of 136 meters and 41 meters in diameter. Michelangelo did not get to see the completion of his design, and it was finished by Giacomo della Porta and Domenico Fontana. But the world knows the mastermind of this modern marvel is Michelangelo and its design has changed the Roman skyline forever.
There are other fascinating domes around Italy, in many styles and shapes, and you may just need an entire lifetime to visit them all! But a good place to start is with Brunelleschi’s Dome in Florence and Michelangelo’s Dome in Rome – two of the most important in history.
