Comments by "" (@neutronalchemist3241) on "National Geographic" channel.

  1. The Pantheon's dome is bigger, but is made of concrete, not masonry. San Pietro's dome in Rome too is bigger, but it has a "trick" (it's reinforced with an iron ring at the base), so Santa Maria's dome is still the bigger dome made of masonry alone.
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  2. At that time simply there wasn't something like a "formal training" in architecture as it was not one of the seven liberal arts taught in universities. Fundamentals of architecture were learned in the "botteghe" along with painting, sculpting, theatrical scenography and so on. Then, if one had an interest on the matter, like Brunelleschi had, he could study the ancient Roman techniques from the buildings themself and reading Vitruvius, and the modern ones simply talking with the construction workers.
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  3. You are welcome! :)
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  4. No framework ("centine" in italian) had been use here. The way the briks are disposed made so that the dome was self-supporting during all the construction.
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