Lantern to Brunelleschi's Dome, Firenze

Brunelleschi also designed a lantern for the top of his dome. However he died in 1446, shortly after work on the octagonal lantern, with eight narrow-arched windows and radiating buttresses, was commenced. The lantern was only finally completed in 1461 by Bartolomeo Michelozzo, an admirer of Brunelleschi. Andrea del Verrocchio added a gilded ball and cross in 1469. Verrocchio's ball collapsed in 1600 after being struck by lightening whereupon it was replaced by the present ball which is over twice the size of the original.

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