In 1742, when the dome atop St. Peter's Basilica – designed by Michelangelo – cracks and threatens to collapse, Pope Benedict XIV summons three mathematicians whose ideas spark a revolution in the world of architecture.
This is Mr. Kalayjian’s first book, but he is a natural writer, and his authority on matters of engineering lends clarity to a difficult topic ... There is great pleasure to be found in the details Mr. Kalayjian has compiled. His elevates the role of the many collaborative voices who helped preserve what the architect had originally conceived, offering a refreshing counterpoint to the typical art-historical emphasis on individual creation.
Kalayjian keeps suspense in his entertaining story in telling what might have otherwise been a dry history ... All this history is complicated, but Kalayjian keeps the prose, and the book, concise and a fast and engrossing read.
His book includes a lot of papal history, which may seem superfluous to readers strictly looking for the technical aspects of the dome. But he doesn’t skimp on those details either; alongside the narration of political and personality conflicts, there’s significant information about the engineering behind the construction and restoration of the dome ... An accessible book about the history of the dome that sparked an architectural revolution.
