Filippo Brunelleschi was chosen to build the dome for the Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral in Florence. He won the commission in 1418 after a competition, despite having no formal training as an architect or engineer, being originally a goldsmith and sculptor
. Brunelleschi innovatively designed the dome to be built without traditional wooden centering supports. He employed a herringbone brick pattern to ensure the bricks stayed in place and redirected the weight outward toward the dome’s supports rather than downward, which was a key structural innovation
. Additionally, Brunelleschi invented special hoisting machines to raise heavy materials to great heights during construction. These machines were highly advanced for their time and later admired by engineers including Leonardo da Vinci
. In summary, Filippo Brunelleschi was the visionary behind the dome’s construction, introducing the herringbone brick pattern and inventing hoisting devices that made the building of this architectural masterpiece possible.
