Film Analysis: Great Cathedral Mystery
1) What types of evidence do the historians and craftsmen use to investigate how Brunelleschi built the dome of the Florence cathedral?
No solid evidence due to sketches getting burned
Analyzes of the dome and other building
Brunelleschi wanted to redeem himself, that is why he built the dome
2) What craft skills, tools, and techniques were used to construct the dome in Brunelleschi’s time? What craft skills, tools, and techniques do the modern re-constructers use?
Ropes
Arches
Metal work and design
Special zig zag brick pattern
Brunelleschi used the pantheon to analyze the dome
Brick layers from U.S were hired
3) What are the major questions of the film, and what are the answers?
How was the done built? How was it stable
Its unique zigzag pattern, a slight angle down
4) In what ways is Brunelleschi using the dome construction as a “laboratory”? What are his experiments in this “lab”?
He experimented with the building
First large dome in history
He created new building techniques to make everything possible
5) What are some examples of Corn’s 5 methods being used in this investigation?
Use of ropes
Analyzing
Making a model
Working with engineers
