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National Geographic

National Geographic

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👁 2,712,056 views

How an Amateur Built the World's Biggest Dome

Video Overview & Insights

In 1418, Filippo Brunelleschi was tasked with building the largest dome ever seen at the time. He had no formal architecture training. Yet experts still don't fully understand the brilliant methods he used in contructing the dome, which tops the Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral in Florence, Italy.

You first said he built brick arches from bottom to top, then said he laid bricks all around in the herringbone pattern. Which is it?

— @LukeTerrenceJonesProfesor

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#NationalGeographic #WorldsBiggestDome #WorldRecords

How do you know the point to put the rope to guide the bricks?

— @LukeTerrenceJonesProfesor

About National Geographic:

National Geographic is the world's premium destination for science, exploration, and adventure. Through their world-class scientists, photographers, journalists, and filmmakers, Nat Geo gets you closer to the stories that matter and past the edge of what's possible.

Having been in, around, and on top of it, I can say with certainty that this was a one of a kind feat of engineering mastery. Truly dumbfounding.

— @ClintMoody

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Official Site: http://bit.ly/NatGeoOfficialSite

A few years ago, I spent a week or so in Florence, and witnessed this majestic dome, and cathedral. It's out of this world. The builder was much more than an amateur. He was genius. I wish we had some "amateurs" with this kind of building knowledge, to build things to last 500 years and more.

— @javacup912

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I am the latest

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Read more about the dome in National Geographic magazine online:

I have never been thrilled and inspired like I am now since a long time! Thank you so much for presenting this in the best way it could ever be!

— @lubnaqanber3478

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2014/02/il-duomo/mueller-text

PRODUCER, EDITOR, AND WRITER: Hans Weise

Allah akbar 🇻🇳🤣🇹🇷

— @vvv2944

ART DIRECTOR: Fernando G. Baptista

ART AND ANIMATION: Fernando G. Baptista and Matthew Twombly

Theres a great book called Brunelleschi's Dome. He was no amateur

— @edfoy9960

MAP AND TYPOGRAPHY: Lauren E. James

ADDITIONAL WRITING: Jason Orfanon

I read a record that the workers didn’t trust his brick link plan as the self supporting dome began to curve in. So he had to go out and walk on them himself to prove and assure them the would not collapse in. To rediscover his plans would be joy to world. And although this video is here a long time it’s still a really good design example length for a video for new and old students of art history. The drawings and graphics are excellent. National Geographic ‘exploring the world and all that’s in it’ How we discovered the world before the world discovered us. Memories of my Art Room and my library stacks of the National Geographic. My students used them for multiple projects. Thank You

— @markmarnell

NARRATOR: Paula Rich

RESEARCH: Fanna Gebreyesus and Elizabeth Snodgrass

I mean pyramids existed earlier. But this guy is still impressive

— @andytinganyang4706

SPECIAL THANKS: Riccardo Dalla Negra, Massimo Ricci, and Francesco Gurrieri

How an Amateur Built the World's Biggest Dome

Took me too long to find this video after playing Assassin's Creed II T_T
This Cathedral still is my Top 1 favorite architecture in the world, that, I would definitely gonna visit it one day.

— @HelianGamePiano

https://youtu.be/_IOPlGPQPuM

National Geographic

Un amateur ne peut pas construire un dome aussi imposant et aussi parfait dans sa construction

— @alainsalemi6049

https://www.youtube.com/natgeo

Italia capisce, inglesi non capiscono questo 🤷‍♀️✨✨

— @Ariofra20

More User Perspectives

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The enormous challenge he took on, and dedicated his entire life to, is still so impressive that it's hard to imagine. His contemporary Vasari described it: All amateurs should read this.

@vanhuisuit421
@

As you know invention of Double-shell load-bearing dome was first in IRAN, (SULTANIEH DOME) about 200 years before Filippo Brunelleschi ,and he was inspired by that dome surely. But his managing and construction method was outstanding.

@Davinci-S
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Well the biggest is in rome, but the most beautiful is in florence

@titanxf0150
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An amateur cannot conceive such a complex structure.

@davideselmin8018
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I wonder WHY we don't build domes like this! So much technology at hand. Maybe the reason is because it was done with support of angels, not only humans.

@FriasMentorias
@

What they mean by amateur is that Brunelleschi was unknown when he entered the competition for the design of the dome. He was trained as a goldsmith and clockmaker. He had left Florence for years and spent time studying ruins in Rome, and there's a suggestion that he may have traveled to Constantinople, because the herringbone design had been used there. Even a summary by the administrative group overseeing the building of the church said we'll have to learn as we go, once brunelleschi's design had been accepted.

To me, it's not denigrating, it adds to the incredibleness of his accomplishments.

My info is from Ross King's book brunelleschi's dome.

@Beth-sn9ip
@

Gênio Brunelleschi

@king_pedrohenrique
@

hi

@cfradd
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If you could build a clock in the 1400s, you could build a dome

@NobodyJones
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Still one of the most fascinating architectural achievements ever.

@patricklenehan1778
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Amazing that five hundred year old structure probably could be rebuilt to same standard now.

@roboliver9980
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I need subtitles for this movie.

@SogandRoosta
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Beautiful explanation video, thanks.

@tungdinh.91
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Amateur........

@neeps9596
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The Italian accent was the icing on the cake. Lovely video.

@AbhishekVankit
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The art style of the video is 👏 😮

@HarBosSar
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They used chains. He invented the modular brick which i a greater contribution then one building. Also his student was leonardo da vinci

@dekonfrost7
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This is the only universe theres no other dimension someone might be literally so paranoid like its infecting my mind i dont like this. Whoever brought me back my sanity thank you

@JoshAbagat
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Can do attitude ?

@Sheyan-l9d
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Great video, thanks

@UnlimitedPowXx
@

Obviously, aliens did it!

@Sennmut
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Studying at an university to become an architect is a very long and difficult endeavor, yet all they can come up with today is just an ugly soviet-era concrete block.

@sebwingard
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Explore Golgumbaz Deccan india 🇮🇳

@golgumbazguide...4113
@

and people think we've gotten smarter over time lol

@Mike_Fortin
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Brunelleschi was a true Genius

@damienaugustoni2890
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l believe the date of construction is wrong 😮 no one knew about design at such level of engineer 😊

@herbrive9555
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I wouldn't imagine this is for and by an amature, nope. Beyound.

@khongyoo
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Thank you for giving us this wonderful animation for free!

@ultraali453
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You call amateur because he had no degree? Technical universities appeared only 2 centuries later, from military academies. Before there were guilds to preserve and pass knowledge

@GianniBarberi
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This is many advance questions answers there I mean geometrical circle ,ellipse ,parabola ...btw he was little bit selfish for not teaching us all ❤

@HeisenbergNH
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How many people are watching this after visiting the catheral ?!

@MarianneGardner-b8p
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Amateur?!?!?

@fabriziocolamartino5445
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They use simple math; yet very effective. Here's the thing - I am construction 🚧 worker myself. Some things, you can make it so precise but there are certain parts where you just have to follow your instinct. For example, out of 2 mark to make something align, in most cases if there are confusion on the marking, we just follow the one that consider the 'median' point out of the too. It wastes so many time to do something too accurate. Yes, the structure git to be sturdy - but there are no one actually bring ruler and will remeasuring back your hard labour

@EleyReiHer
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A true Tartarian hero.

@TaoDennings
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Yea, right! There are no photos or paintings of the construction of these buildings. Just refacing and remodeling. The crane would not have helped build these amazing buildings, if so, we would have them today. Let's see this in full scale and build a 300-foot-high or 400-foot-high St. Stevens Cathedral in Vienna replica built in 1137 with no crane fake wood crane. Just like the Egyptian Pyramids, how and when they were built are a mystery. Old-world buildings are all over the place. Just open your eyes. The build dates in Wikipedia are mostly all false.

@rickdeckardbladerunner2049
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The inventor of gatekeeping

@dariusstarrett8837
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Men built the world.

@MaQuGo119