Translator: Gastón Falanga Reviewer: Sebastian Betti
I saved Florence.
You may wonder, how a single person
could have saved an entire city?
Florence was the most important city in the world,
but it had to be proven.
That's why we decided to build a colossal cathedral.
And we did it, except for a little detail:
We had the biggest church with a huge hole in the middle.
No one knew how to build a dome of that size for 45 years.
How ironic!
We had the most imposing cathedral and it was the greatest humiliation.
We could not even use it on rainy days!
That's how things were when I was born.
Everyone was laughing at us.
One day the bishop of Siena arrived,
and from our pulpit he read in the Bible:
"Who of you, if you want to build a tower,
does not make sure you know how to finish it?"
He paused, looked up at the huge hole above,
looked at us and said: "You Florentines!"
I still remember the feeling of fury and impotence.
But life gives you revenge.
In 1419 I was 42,
the guards of the cathedral came and ask me to suggest them
the name of an architect who could solve the problem.
I was dying to be the one who gave to architecture back
the glory it had had in ancient times.
I was fascinated by the challenge of doing justice to my city
and build after 1000 years,
a real dome!
And my name would forever be related to it!
But I did not give my name.
I doubled the bet.
I proposed that they call a competition
to choose among the best architects in Europe.
I needed to finish my proposal.
I went immediately to Rome.
I worked there in secret and without stopping
only with my inseparable companion of adventures, Donatello.
I had to find the way and accurately plan every detail.
Undoubtedly, one of the greatest problems was how
to bear the weight of such a dome; a huge hole had to be covered!
I needed to discover
the secrets of the only standing model, the Roman Pantheon.
By studying the secrets of the Pantheon, I discovered, to my surprise,
that there was not one dome but two, one inside and one outside.
So I developed my proposal: two domes, one on top of the other,
connected by a skeleton and a space in the middle.
A third part less weight than if it were solid!
But weight was not the only problem;
we did not have machines for such a work.
For example, the old cranes were moved by oxen
which rotated in one direction to bring the materials down
and in the other direction to raise them.
It took us a long time trying to turn the oxen back!
So I designed a special machine that would raise and lower the materials
so that the oxen were always in the same direction.
I even managed to build
a dining room with a kitchen on high,
so the workers did not waste so much time going down to lunch!
But, well, I do not want to distract myself with small things.
The main problem was another.
Until then, the only way to build an arch
was this... (Whistle)
Blocks of stone
were placed successively on a wooden structure.
After placing the "keystone" --
which is the fundamental piece of the arch --
the structure locks, remains stable, and there is no danger of collapsing
then yes, the structure can be removed.
(Applause)
Now let's try what happens without the framework.
Well! What a mess!
In our case, the construction of this structure was the problem;
we could not make it; it was impossible.
How to build a frame with 75 cubits of height,
covering a hole as big as this room and that, also,
support a weight equivalent to 7411 elephants?
Wooden studs would shatter...
Worse, the wood of all of Tuscany would not be enough to build it!
Then came the day of the contest.
Architects came from all over.
And I was worried about my opponents!
I let them start.
One of them suggested to build a large column in the middle of the altar
that supported the dome.
Can you imagine a huge column in the middle of the altar?
What horror!
Another came with the brilliant idea
of filling the floor of the cathedral with solid soil.
When we asked him
how he would manage to remove the land,
the scoundrel man suggested
that we throw coins to the ground,
so the poor people
would remove the floor without costing the building!
It was my turn.
I started my exhibition with great confidence:
"Gentlemen," I said,
the only way to build the dome is this
and I described my project, but very briefly.
I did not want to give any details so they would not copy my idea,
but well, of course, I did not convince anyone.
The consuls did not know what to do,
they had to choose between those absurd projects and mine,
and I was not going to give details of my work.
I did not know how to solve the dilemma until I had a simple idea.
I suggested a silly challenge:
He who could hold an egg standing on a marble
would build the dome.
Incredibly it worked!
They accepted!
You should have seen the most renowned architects in Europe
trying to stand an egg,
so it was my turn.
(Laughter)
(Applause)
My opponents were furious,
treated me like a cheater! I was insulted!
They said they too could have built it that way.
"That is the reason why I don't give you details," I told them.
"Because when you see it,
you will also think that you could have built it."
I succeeded.
I got the job.
It's been 16 years.
I cannot believe we've already finished it.
At this point, I think I can tell you some of my secrets.
In fact, we could not use a wooden structure.
That's why I did not use a structure!
I got the dome to hold itself up
as it grew in height!
For that, I had two hidden cards.
First, arrange the bricks in the form of a "fishbone,"
this is, place horizontal bricks lines
and, from time to time, some in vertical position.
Thus each row on the eight sides of the dome
was attached to the top and bottom,
held by vertical bricks to stiffen.
The bricks placed in different positions
brake between them, lock and overcome gravity.
The problem comes
when the dome faces begin to curve to close.
How to prevent the bricks from falling?!
Here comes the second hidden card.
The strings are not completely horizontal,
but also the bricks have a small inclination
like an inverted arch that makes them stable.
Thus, instead of pushing inward, they push down.
Every brick goes together like this.
A continuous spiral is being built and growing and that,
in addition, avoids the break.
The key to all this
is a complex system of ropes that I invented.
The ropes, like an inverted pendulum,
projected from the cathedral floor
to the sides of the dome
and determined the exact angle of the bricks.
But not all ropes start from the same spot on the floor, no.
The ropes are moving
according to a complicated but beautiful
figure drawn on the floor.
That figure is my biggest secret.
Do you want me to show it to you?
Audience: Yes.
No way!
If I show it to you,
you will also think that you could have built it!
What I can tell you is
that we needed so much precision to locate the bricks
that each worker placed only 20 per day.
And the dome has four million bricks.
A few days ago, the bishop of Siena
came to celebrate mass in our cathedral.
I wanted to witness his reaction when he saw our newly dome.
Without admitting that, he began to read the passage of the Tower of Babel:
"And men said, 'We will build a city,
whose tower will have a cusp that reaches to the sky,
and our name will be remembered forever.'"
He finished reading and began to censure us for our arrogance,
to have built such a dome
and to swear that God was going to punish us.
He was full of envy,
because his little Siena dome had collapsed.
Somehow he was right:
my name will be remembered forever.
So, here, in front of you.
I'm going to destroy my plans.
The secrets of my building
will die with me
for the greater glory of Florence.
No city will ever
be able to build a dome like this!
(Applause)