The Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiori, "The Cathedral of Saint Maria of the Flowers," the main cathedral of Florence, had no dome for about a hundred years after the walls went up in 1296. It was not until the sculptor, Filippo Brunelleschi (1377-1446) convinced the cathedral committee that his design was feasable that it was built. It came together with new building techniques between 1420 and 1436. It was one of the world's greatest engineering feats spanning 140 feet. Brunelleschi is also credited with having formulated the concept of the illusionistic painting/drawing technique known as "perspective."
