CITIES AND THEIR FAMOUS MONUMENTS - RENAISSANCE FLORENCE
- Malika Vaidya
- May 2, 2021
- 5 min read
Florence, a city in Italy, is seeped thoroughly in the essence of Renaissance. The style of architecture in the city was not a result of a slow evolution from preceding styles, but rather a conscious effort put in by the architects to revive the golden age of classicism.
Filippo Brunelleschi was one of the first few architects to develop a true renaissance architectural style. His work set a precedent for the new era, which has become unambiguous with the renaissance style of architecture in Florence and around the world.
FLORENCE CATHEDRAL - Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
The Florence Cathedral or ‘the Duomo’, is a prominent structure in the Florence skyline. The magnificent and massive dome was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, a leading renaissance architect. The cathedral is dedicated to Santa Maria del Fiore. The structure was designed by Arnolfo di Cambio in the style of Gothic architecture and the dome of the cathedral was conceptualized to be the largest dome in the Italian Peninsula. The only issue was that the engineering and technology required to construct such a massive dome did not exist in the 13th century. This led to the cathedral being dome-less for nearly 124 years until Brunelleschi won a public competition to build the dome. The dome was finally completed in 1436, nearly 140 years after work began on the cathedral.
Today, the cathedral remains one of Italy’s largest churches while the dome is considered the largest brick dome ever made. The dome is a double-shelled dome and is built out of bricks instead of stone and marble. It's success lies in the three elements followed by Brunelleschi.
· The embedding of four sets of iron chains to prevent the inner shell from spreading.
· This support system was further reinforced by eight vertical ribs, supplemented by sixteen concealed ribs, radiating from the center.
· The brickwork was laid in herringbone patterns for the inner dome, which helped transfer weight and stress to the vertical ribs.
The outer dome was topped with a cupola, known as a lantern, which closed the central oculus of the dome and exerted additional downward force, reducing the outward thrust at the base.
The cathedral is built as a basilica with a wide central nave comprising of four square bays with an aisle on each side. The overall plan forms a Latin cross, staying true to the Gothic style roots, while the aisles and nave are separated by wide pointed Gothic arches supported by composite piers.
The exterior of the church is covered in a decorative mix of pink, white and green marble, whereas the interior is quite stark and plain. The interior of the cathedral is covered in numerous paintings and murals, the most famous of which is ‘The Last Judgement', painted on the underside of the dome by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari in 1568 and which was commissioned by the Medici family of Florence.
The Cathedral's significance lies in the engineering and technological feat achieved in the construction of its dome and the renaissance thinking that placed Florence at the heart of a new cultural age.
PALAZZO MEDICI RICCARDI
The residence of the head of the banking Medici family, the Palazzo Medici is a Renaissance palace located in the heart of Florence. The palace designed by Michelozzo, whose construction began in 1444, is considered to be a prototype for all renaissance architecture to come in the new era.
The palace is well known for its stone masonry and its façade elevation divided into three levels which get progressively shorter and more refined. The elevation expresses the renaissance spirit of rationality, order, and classicism on a human scale. The transition from rusticated masonry to the more refined stonework of the third floor makes the building appear lighter and taller to the eye, while the massive cornice caps and define the building's form. This style of three-level design was later followed in many palaces in Florence and Tuscany.
The exterior façade of the building has two large bricked-up archways housing Michelangelo’s “kneeling windows”, which were once open archways through which business was conducted. The open colonnaded central court is a mix of renaissance and baroque, two influential styles of the period. The Corinthian-style columns with their vaulted ceiling were the center of activity for the Medici family. The courtyard adjacent to the court was based on the loggia of the Ospedale Degli Innocenti, designed by Brunelleschi, under whom Michelozzo had studied.
The renaissance spirit embodied by Palazzo Medici Riccardi, resulted in the palace becoming a prototype and influence for palatial architecture around Florence and Tuscany and ushered in a new era of architectural style.
THE PITTI PALACE – Palazzo Pitti
The Pitti Palace is a renaissance palace built originally as a town residence for Luca Pitti, a wealthy banker, in 1458. Thought to be designed on Brunelleschi’s plan and executed by his pupil Luca Fancelli, the original construction consisted of only the middle cube of the present building. The property was later purchased by the Medicis in 1549 and became their primary residence. The palace was then altered and enlarged to its present form with the addition of two lateral wings and a grand garden.
Influenced by Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the palace is divided into three storeys and draws the eye to its linear horizontal form. The use of rusticated stone gives a powerful and severe atmosphere whereas the interior incorporates barrel vaults, carved keystones, and fan windows along with Tuscan-style columns.
The architectural merit of the Palace lies in the sheer attention it commands by the virtue of the size, and strength, coupled with its monotonous, repetitive theme. The severity and simplicity of the rusticated stonework relieved by arched windows designed in an arcade form produce a massive and impressive façade to be appreciated.
THE PAZZI CHAPEL
Considered to be one of the greatest works produced by Fillipo Brunelleschi, the Pazzi chapel is a church built for the second wealthiest family, after the ruling Medicis, in Florence - The Pazzis.
The plan of the chapel is a circle and a square. The rectangular base is topped with a conical central dome supported by finely veiled vaulting. The reinterpretation of classical Roman and Greek architecture by the use of geometrical shapes (circle, square, and rectangle), shows Brunelleschi’s vision for renaissance architecture. These forms are reinforced and repeated in rounded arches, patterns of rectangles and squares, the repeated use of circles, and the circular dome. Apart from the forms, the use of simple colors – white and grey makes the chapel harmonious. The white plaster of the walls is in cool contrast to the pilasters in grey ‘serene’ stone.
Though not as famous as the Dome of the Florence cathedral, the chapel is considered one of the masterpieces of Renaissance architecture.
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