Many legends surround the construction of Florence Cathedral—like the story of Brunelleschi and the egg.

In practice, this story would tell us that Columbus’ famous egg was actually an event linked to Filippo Brunelleschi.

In 1420, the Republic of Florence held a contest to design the dome. Eighteen architects entered, including Filippo Brunelleschi, who had studied the Pantheon in Rome.

On the day the various projects were presented, the candidates discussed which solutions had thought about it and asked Filippo to explain his plan.

Brunelleschi refused and made a bet: ‘Whoever could stand an egg upright on a marble slab would build the dome.’

A craftsman ran to fetch a dozen eggs, the architects gathered around him, each armed with an egg, and tried and tried again in vain. Filippo took the last egg, broke the bottom of the shell and placed it upright, and it remained standing.

The others complained, “We could have done that too!

And he replied, “Right, why didn’t you do it?

The Project In the end, it was entrusted to Brunelleschi, who created the magnificent dome we all know!

Since then, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Maggiore has been the tallest building in the city, and no one has ever dared to surpass it.

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