How an Amateur Created the World's Largest Brick Dome

When Filippo Brunelleschi died, he left behind no plans or drawings for the dome of the Florence Cathedral, leaving many open questions about the engineering of the world's largest masonry dome. In an animated short, National Geography delves into just how the goldsmith and watchmaker pulled off the 15-year project, which consumed much of his adult life, and helped earn him a reputation as one of the foremost engineers and architects of the Italian Renaissance. This way for a discussion of ox-powered lifting machines and the structural soundness of herringbone brick:

· How Did Filippo Brunelleschi Construct the World's Largest Masonry Dome? [Arch Daily]