Great Cathedral Mystery - PBS Nova - Documentary

[trianalee]

Does it pause on the drummers from 6:22-11:43 for anyone else? There's no audio for that portion and it suddenly cuts back to the video

[lounar]

What a great opening! When I think of all the memorable shows I have seen over a lifetime, the NOVA series is near the top. Their dive into the who, what, and how this thing was built is fascinating.

[MilciadesAndrion]

The construction of this dome is full of mysteries. It is undeniably a supreme work of art and Brunalesschi kept many secrets to himself. This is a great video, very educational. I liked it and subscribed to the channel. Thanks.

[dgschindele]

Brunelleschi was a 4-dimensional chess player. His rediscovery of perspective must have played a role, since his spiraling herringbone pattern so resembles a perspective drawing. Using chains as 'barrel hoops' around the dome was also essential. I'd like to see a complete time-lapse animation of the Dome's construction. What a sublime achievement!

[elainebmack]

I studied in Florence and walked the 463 steps inside the dome to the very top. The higher you go the closer the walls get, and it feel very claustrophobic. Just when you think you can't go on, you are suddenly at the top in the open air where you feel that wonderful breeze and see the city of Florence spread before you. There is a marble statue of Brunelleschi at street level looking up at the dome. He is buried in the lower level of Santa Maria del Fiore. His tomb is a simple, marble slab on the floor in a small room.

[firesurfer]

Absolutely wonderful. I have a herringbone style floor in the living room. My brother wants to get rid of it because it squeaks a little in the winter. No way will I let this happen.

[KurtisHord]

He definitely knew his stereometry. Also the pattern works! In a single wythe so it only gets stronger as you layer. That’s what he demonstrated on the model

[paigem]

14:26 - 15:03 "the failure rate on most of these vaults was about 50%"

[shinola]

Viewers of this video would probably be interested in another video here on YouTube showing how " flat " domes are built on some homes in India. They seem to be gravity defying as they go up. No central supports are used during the construction.

[shinola]

If the model is left uncompleted they did not prove how the original was built. They appear to have stopped just as the difficult part began.

[josiahflannigan]

I think it's a reversed flying buttress concept. With the dead loads being transferred inward instead of outward. What I mean is that the ribs and the weight of the masonry lean on one another counter acting or balancing out the dead load from all of the material. And that is what keeps the dome from failing inward. They used form work to get the material up there in place and then removed the false work once all of the material was in place. And the chains act as a gradle for example on a women's dress sucking in the outward thrust. This is my best guess...

[kungfutoe]

If mickey mack keeps blowing up great art were are all mickey mouse club...Much love for brittany spears 😂