making it both the birthplace and the proving ground of the Renaissance. Brunelleschi’s dome still rises from the terra-cotta sea of Florence’s roof tiles, itself terra-cotta clad yet ...

But the Renaissance only revived the dome, essentially splitting the difference ... The mathematicians had begun with little knowledge of architecture, but they had a distinct advantage.

Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance, is a haven for lovers of classical architecture and art. The Florence Cathedral, or Duomo, with its iconic red dome designed by Brunelleschi ...