Some 6 million data, gathered over 60 years of careful monitoring Brunelleschi's celebrated dome in Florence, were presented for the first time during a two-day international convention on the 19-20 January at the Centro Arte e Cultura dell'Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore.
Experts were able to analyse the results of the lengthy research and arrive at the conclusion that the cupola was in no danger of collapsing, despite the centuries-old presence of cracks, which first appeared soon after the dome was completed. Over the years, many proposals for reinforcing the dome have been put forward, the first in 1695 by Vincenzo Viviani, a pupil of Galileo's, who suggested creating a supporting ring.
The meeting, entitled Il Monitoraggio delle Grande Fabbriche Storiche (Monitoring large historic buildings) aimed to compare the results of the lengthy research with similar situations at an international level. The Brunelleschi cupola is one of the biggest stone-built domes in the world and is subject to a complex system of progressive lesions. These are so gradual and slight, however, that experts believe there is no immediate danger of the dome suffering serious damage.
