Domes

A dome is a rounded vaulted roof or ceiling that forms a continuous surface around a central axis. Built as a self-supporting structure, it is typically placed on a drum or pendentives, uses compression to span space, and enables large interior areas with relatively few columns. Domes can be hemispherical or take other curved shapes derived from circular or polygonal geometries.

Domes have ancient precedents in Mesopotamian and Persian architecture, but their most influential development occurred in Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic architecture. The Pantheon in Rome and Hagia Sophia in Istanbul exemplify early advances in dome construction and the use of pendentives. In Russia, onion domes and in Ottoman architecture, bulbous domes became distinctive. By the Renaissance, domes crowned major churches and civic buildings across Europe.

Domes are categorized by form: hemispherical, ribbed, onion, and ogival or pointed varieties, with geodesic domes as a modern lightweight form. A dome’s load path typically travels from the shell to a supporting drum via pendentives, squinches, or capitals, distributing weight to walls and foundations.

Construction methods range from traditional masonry—brick or stone with mortar and interior coffering—to reinforced concrete shells and steel or laminated timber frameworks. Modern innovations include lightweight, triangulated or geodesic systems that maximize strength while minimizing material.

In contemporary architecture, domes appear in religious, cultural, and experimental contexts, valued for their aesthetic presence, acoustic properties, and efficient span. Notable examples include the Pantheon, Hagia Sophia, domed mosques worldwide, and modern geodesic domes.