Italian engineer Aristotle Fioravanti: biography

The history of engineering and architectural thought is full of famous names, but some characters stand apart and deserve a separate page in history.

Birth and childhood

In 1415 the great architect Aristotle Fioravanti was born. His life and work began in Bologna. The boy appeared in the respected family of the architect, and his professional path was predetermined. Childhood in those days was short: from the age of 5 the future architect spent a lot of time in workshops and on construction sites, listening to his father's conversations with employees and eyeing the tools and mechanisms.

Study and mastering the profession

Immersion in the profession began for Fioravanti from work as an apprentice in the family business. Artel Fioravanti was in good standing in Bologna, performed large and prestigious orders. Even the grandfather of the architect received such significant orders as an annex to the ancient Akkursio Palace in Bologna, and his father erected a palazzo commune, which suffered from a fire. The boy grew up on these construction sites and absorbed numerous skills and knowledge. By age 15, he was already a fully qualified engineer and architect. The documents confirm that in 1436 the young Fioravanti participated in the casting of the bell for the palace of the del Podestà, and this process in those days required many skills.

Becoming a Master

By the age of 25, Aristotle had mastered all the wisdom of the profession and actively continued to work in the family business. When the father of Fioravanti died, the case was taken by his brother, and the hero of our article became a full member of the artel.

The young engineer needed development, and in search of opportunities to organize an independent business, he went to Rome. In the capital, Aristotle worked in a team that transported and installed columns in the temple of Minerva. He participated in large-scale projects precisely as an engineer. There he learned to move huge objects, and this forced his technical thinking to become more active.

Years of Labor: Aristotle Fioravanti - Italian Engineer

In 1453, the budding architect returns to Bologna to perform a responsible assignment from the local community - he directs the bell to the tower. In the course of this work, the engineer seriously reflects on the improvement of engineering technologies. This was the cause of the first glory of the engineer Fioravanti.

In 1455, Aristotle showed the world a miracle of engineering thought: he was able to move the bell tower of the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore at 13 meters. To do this, he applied the mechanism of his own invention and was able to perform a task that is still not simple today.

The tower was surrounded by a special wooden cage, which protected the structure from overturning. The engineer used the unique principle of distribution of draft power for several gates at that time.

The glory of Fioravanti flew all over Italy, and now the engineer was invited to perform the most complex orders, which, in addition to fame, brought good money. So, he successfully straightened the leaning tower in Cento and the bell tower in Venice. However, the bell tower collapsed 2 days after the manipulation, and this has forever taught Fioravanti to thoroughly survey the soil before taking up work.

Since 1456, Fioravanti has been actively engaged in architectural orders. He works on the reconstruction of old buildings in Bologna, repairs the ditch and performs many tasks of the city community. Works of the master do not go unnoticed, his fame only grows, and in 1458 he was invited to Milan for service at the court of the duke, where Aristotle worked for about 6 years.

Later, the architect returns to Bologna and performs many orders, including bridges, towers, palaces, what he built and restored. From 1464 he was the city engineer of Bologna and remained in this post until his death, in spite of the fact that the commune released the masters for various works in the cities of Italy, as well as in Hungary and Russia.

Aristotle Fioravanti built several outstanding buildings for his time. His efforts built an aqueduct in the town of Cento, a reconstruction of the Palazzo del Podesta, but the fame of the master at that time was more engineering projects, and the fame in the world of architecture was still ahead.

The difficult times of Aristotle Fioravanti

Throughout his life Aristotle Fioravanti faced the intrigues of envious people and competitors. Because of this, he repeatedly had to change places of residence and work. A notable blow of fate was the accusation of the architect in the coinage of counterfeit money, this happened in 1473. The master almost miraculously managed to avoid severe punishment, but he lost hope of finding orders in Rome. Aristotle Fioravanti again returned to Bologna, where he was expected, but he did not receive any large orders, and his fortune was somewhat shaken.

Russian smile of luck

In Russia, Tsar Ivan III at this time started a grandiose construction: in the Kremlin it was decided to build a large cathedral, symbolizing the strength and power of the tsar's power. But the misfortune happened - the walls collapsed, and an ambassador was sent to Italy with the order to bring a worthy architect.

Semyon Tolbuzin met with Aristotle Fioravanti and was able to persuade him to go to a distant unknown country. So in 1475 the golden period in the life of the architect began.

Arriving in Moscow, the architect, following his rules, carefully examined the soil and materials from which the predecessors built. So he came to the conclusion that you need to solve two problems. First: to organize the production of the right strong brick. The second: to create a very deep and reliable foundation, since the terrain of Borovitsky Hill was repeatedly excavated and could not withstand the mass of a large structure.

And the works, unprecedented for Russia, began: the creation of deep ditches and the installation of long wooden piles that were not adopted in Russian architecture. Also, the engineer opened brick production, which for many years afterwards provided the capital with quality building materials.

The Case of Life: how Aristotle Fioravanti built the Assumption Cathedral

The Assumption Cathedral is an example of high architectural thought, it organically combines traditions and revolutionary innovation. The Cathedral for the Assumption of the Virgin in Vladimir became an example for the church, but Fioravanti implemented many revolutionary ideas for that time in Russia.

The architect made a great journey around the country and well understood the traditions of ancient Russian architecture. These typical techniques are used by the master in the external design of the temple. At the same time, the architect's innovation allowed him to create a spacious and bright cathedral.

The architect made a number of interesting decisions when creating the internal appearance of the temple. He abolishes the usual choirs and uses atypical pillars as pillars, allocates a separate place for royalty. The master strove to create a cathedral that would reflect the entire identity of Russian culture, but also wanted to accommodate the latest trends in architecture in the construction.

And in the end, he not only created a harmonious - such a Russian and at the same time Renaissance - the appearance of the temple, but also thought out all the surrounding space, setting the basis for what is now a pride of Russian people - the cathedral square of the Kremlin.

The architect asked Ivan III to invite students from Italy to embody the idea of creating an architectural ensemble of the Kremlin. So Russia has found its symbol and a model for architectural imitation. The cathedral was built in record time, and in the year 1479 the consecration of the church took place. And the architect was rewarded and honored, but he is not released to his homeland, as the tsar has his own plans for him.

Years of Honor and Glory

Already during the construction of the Assumption Cathedral, Aristotle Fioravanti, an architect, could not forget his engineering habits. He establishes cannon production, trains Russian masters and military men and is appointed head of Russian artillery. He is engaged in setting up crossings through the Russian rivers, building a pontoon bridge across the Volkhov. Several years the master spends in the works, which the Russian tsar generously pays for.

However, the master dreamed of returning to his homeland and asked the Tsar to go home, but he did not even want to hear about it. The last mention of Fioravanti in the chronicles testifies that he participated in the campaign against Tver, which ended in the victory of Russian arms.

The influence of Aristotle Fioravanti on Russian architecture

Assumption Cathedral was received by Russian architects with delight, and therefore throughout all of Russia began to appear structures that somehow repeat the style of the Italian architect. Fioravanti, without knowing it, laid the foundations of the Russian national architectural school, which harmoniously combined the old traditions of Russian architecture with the novelty of the Italian Renaissance.

Unknown works of Aristotle Fioravanti

Historians of architecture are still trying to find the buildings that Fioravanti built in Russia. There is a theory that the architect, after the construction of the Assumption Cathedral, went around the country and took part in the construction of a number of temples. Some researchers attribute it to the authorship of the St. Nicholas Cathedral of St. Anthony of the Krasnokholmsky Monastery and the Chereminetsky St. John the Theologian Monastery. There is such a point of view, but there is no real evidence of this theory. And officially Aristotle Fioravanti built in Russia one of the most beautiful temples - the Assumption Cathedral in the Kremlin.

End of story

It is not known exactly when Aristotle Fioravanti died, the years of the architect's life are determined only approximately. The last few years he spent in Russia, but about this time there is almost no evidence left. But still the approximate date of death - 1486 - shows that the architect lived a long enough life for those times (71 years is already a deep old age for the 15th century).

The life of the creator was full of trials, discoveries and successes. The cathedral, built by Aristotle Fioravanti, is magnificent, the photo demonstrates it in all its glory. The name of the master is forever inscribed in the history of the world and especially of Russian architecture.

Engineer and architect Aristotle Fioravanti, whose historical portrait has many blank spots, is a recognized innovator for the Russian architectural school. His influence on the face of Russia can not be overemphasized. For our country, this architect is of special importance, because he formed the ensemble of the main state complex and built the Assumption Cathedral in the Kremlin.

Aristotle Fioravanti, photo of buildings which can be found today in the album of each traveler in Moscow, has become truly a Russian property. He was a real Renaissance man: creative, educated, striving for perfection and achieving greatness. His life is an example of love for his work, to which he was betrayed until his last breath.