Today in History—August 7: The Feud Behind Florence’s Landmark
On this day in 1420, construction finally began on the dome of the Florence Cathedral, today the city’s most recognizable structure. Work on the church itself had begun more than a century earlier. The original designers had envisioned the highest and widest dome ever attempted—but left future generations to worry about how to build it.
By 1418 cathedral officials knew they needed a solution, so they held a competition. Filippo Brunelleschi proposed a daring self-supporting dome that could rise without the wooden framework traditionally used. He refused to reveal many technical details, however, and administrators didn’t fully trust him. They appointed both Brunelleschi and his competitor, Lorenzo Ghiberti, as superintendents.
The two men had been rivals since 1401, when Ghiberti defeated Brunelleschi in the celebrated competition to design the bronze doors for the nearby Baptistery. Extremely disappointed by the loss, Brunelleschi traveled to Rome to study ancient architecture, while Ghiberti gained wealth and prestige in Florence.
Nearly 20 years later, the two adversaries shared authority and received the same annual salary (36 florins), even though Brunelleschi supplied the dome’s principal structural and mechanical solutions.
In 1423 Brunelleschi decided to demonstrate his indispensability. As workers prepared to install crucial masonry intended to resist the dome’s outward thrust, he claimed to be ill and remained in bed. When officials requested instructions, he directed them to Ghiberti.
Brunelleschi was buried in the Florence Cathedral.
Ghiberti reportedly could not explain how the system should be assembled, and construction stalled. Brunelleschi then made a timely recovery, returned to the site, and directed the work.
The story may have been embellished by early biographers, but records show that Brunelleschi eventually gained recognition as the exclusive inventor and director of the dome. His annual compensation rose to 100 florins—and Ghiberti’s remained at 36.
Both men nonetheless secured their place in Renaissance history: Ghiberti for the Baptistery doors and Brunelleschi for Florence’s famed dome.
- 1296: Year construction began on the Florence Cathedral
- 16: Years it took to build Brunelleschi’s dome
- ~381 feet: Height of the dome
- 1782: George Washington orders the creation of the military honor that is now the Purple Heart
- 1882: The feud between the Hatfields and McCoys boils over on election day
- 1960: Côte d’Ivoire gains independence from France
