The Most Famous Domes in the World

The Most Famous Domes in the World

A Dome is termed as a half sphere shaped architecture that is a type of construction which is hollow and the upper half of the sphere is set to the outside weather. A variety of materials is used to make the upper sphere e.g. mud, stone, concrete, brick, wood, metal, grass etc.
Introduced by the Romans at first, the style of domes and the design of such hemispherical structures have gone viral widely and still are used in many areas and in many buildings. It is constantly increasing the beauty of the building it is developed to. Illustrated below are some of the most famous Domes in the World.

Florence Cathedral, Florence (Italy)

Florence Cathedral, situated in Florence (Italy) is one of the most famous tourist places and is also a world heritage site. It got its official name Basilica de Santa Maria del Fiore and is the largest dome in the world with a height of 114 meters. An Italian architect named as Filippo Brunelleschi designed it.

Florence Cathedral, Florence (Italy)

This monument took way too long to complete as it started in 1296 but overall construction completed in 1436. The construction of the dome started in the year 1420 and ended up claiming to be complete in the year 1436. Florence cathedral was the first dome in the world which didn’t use the support of wooden frames. The construction of dome took around 4 million bricks.

The Great Sanchi Stupa, Madhya Pradesh (India)

Sanchi, one of the most important sanctuaries for Buddhists in India, comprises of famous palaces, temples and monasteries. The great Stupa situated upon them is known to be the Sanchi’s most popular monument. 

The Great Sanchi Stupa, Madhya Pradesh (India)

It was commissioned by King Asoka, The Great around 3rd Century B.C. It is one of the oldest stone structures in India.
The vast dome, containing the relics of Lord Buddha, is called the great Stupa. It is located in the center chamber. A sandstone pillar is situated near the great Stupa. Asoka has some inscription on it in sankha lipi. In the 2nd century B.C. the Sunga emperor named as Pusyamitra Sunga expanded this monument. The great Stupa illustrates different occurrences from the Lord Buddha’s lifespan.

Sheik Lotfollah Mosque, Isfahan (Iran)

When we talk about the masterpieces of Iranian Architecture, Sheik Lotfollah mosque is the foremost example of it. It has a flattened colorful dome and hence is also known as the domed mosque. The tiles are of cream color.  The diameter off the dome is 13 meters and has compartments of lemon shape. Also at the apex of the dome, we may see a finely carved peacock.

Sheik Lotfollah Mosque, Isfahan (Iran)

The Iranian emperor Shah Abbas ordered the construction of Lotfollah mosque. Its construction was started in 1603 and it took around 16 years to see the completion of it. It doesn’t have any minarets and courtyard because this mosque was built for worshipping privately. It has highly decorative walls and ceilings in the interior.

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem

Dome of the Rock, situated in Jerusalem, is one of the most popular Islamic sites in the world. The shape of this dome is octagonal. This Islamic shrine is considered to be one of the oldest Islamic buildings in the world which is still surviving.

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem

What allures its visitors is the golden dome. Commissioned by Umayyad Caliph Abd-al-Malik, the dome of the rock was established in 7th century, built on a sacred rock makes a belief to its devotees and visitors that the rock was the place from where Muhammad went to heaven. Influenced by the nearby situated churches, the architecture of the dome is known to be a great place to visit.  The diameter of the dome is 20 meters and the height is 20.4 meters. Firstly, this dome was made of gold but replaced by aluminum later. Covered by golden leaves, you could see many inscriptions in Arabic which depict the verses from Quran. The outer part of the dome is beautified with colorful Persian thatches.

Saint Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow (Russia)

“Cathedral of intercession of the Virgin by the Moat”, a name well-known to all, now is known as St. Basil’s Cathedral. It was established between 1555 and 1561. The prince, Evan the Terrible, commissioned it and it comprises of 9 chapels, all built on a single foundation.

 Saint Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow (Russia)

Famous for its attractive colors and shapes, there are 8 dome chapels in this cathedral in which four of them are octagonal shaped and are large too, while the other 4 are square in shape and are small. The center chapel is the ninth one which is having golden decorations and is really impressive and awestruck to sight

Hagia Sophia, Istanbul (Turkey)

Hagia Sophia, located in Istanbul in Turkey, is a former byzantine church. These days it is used as a museum famous for its art and architecture. The meaning of the Turkish name Hagia Sophia is holy wisdom’s church. It has the diameter or around 26 meters which is a remarkable feature of Hagia Sophia. It has 4 concave sections which support the dome. The structure is towered by some more domes of smaller size.

 Hagia Sophia, Istanbul (Turkey)

A Roman emperor named as Constantius II commissioned the original church in 4th century. On one side, there is another church which was commissioned by Theodosius the great, after the destruction of the first one. However, this church was also destructed by Nika riots in 6th century.  The present building had its construction started in 532 by Justinian-I and was completed in 537. The original dome also experienced some damages because of earthquakes in 558 and it was back in shape in 563.