The picture perfect symbol of Florence, the Cupola of the Cathedral of Florence, Santa Maria del Fiore, is without a doubt the most noted monument in Florence. The Cathedral we see today, is the third cathedral built on the same sight of the original two, dedicated to Santa Reparata which remained active in Florence for nine centuries, until orders were given to demolish it in 1375 because, although it was big, it was too small for the population of what the city had become. Designed by the architect Arnolfo Di Cambio in 1296, the dome was not entirely completed until 1462 due to problems with the original plan by Di Cambio. The original cupola that he had designed was not able to sustain the enormous cathedral, with its 45 meter roof space, with the usual method of permanent scaffolding. The problem was resolved by Brunelleschi in 1418, when he had already been working on the project for nearly 9 years, after winning a competition with his shrewd expertise in construction techniques used by the ancient Romans. His final inspiration came from his study of the cupola on the Pantheon which was also carried out with a double wall without scaffolding. The requisites were that it had to be octagonal, measure 46 metres in diameter at the base, built without scaffolding and appear to be at least double in size. In 1423, when he was 46 yrs. old, his design won and he was given complete charge of finishing it. The task, which formed the basis of Renaissance architecture, was carried out by Brunelleschi and was finished in 1434, later completed by the lantern in 1436 and the four tribunes in the apse shortly after in 1438. Applications on the lantern were made in 1461 and the great copper sphere, cast in the workshop of renown Florentine sculptor Andrea Verriocchio, was placed on the top in 1474.