kubbe

Kubbe is a Turkish term meaning dome. The word is used in architectural contexts to describe the hemispherical or curvilinear roof characteristic of many Ottoman and other Islamic structures. In Turkish usage, kubbe refers to individual domes as well as the overall domed composition of a building, which may include a central dome surrounded by smaller domes or semi-domes.

Etymology: The word derives from the Arabic qubbah (قبّة), meaning dome or vault, through Ottoman Turkish. The term has been borrowed into other languages to describe domed structures, including in architectural literature in English and other European languages.

Architectural significance: Domes called kubbe are a central feature in Ottoman architecture, where a large central dome is often flanked by multiple semi-domes and supported by pendentives and buttresses. The dome serves structural, acoustic, and symbolic roles, and contributes to the skyline of major cities in Turkey and former Ottoman territories.

Examples and usage: In discussions of mosque architecture, kubbe is used to describe the domes of buildings such as mosques and mausoleums built in the Ottoman period. While the Turkish term is common in Turkey, the concept is widespread across Islamic architecture, where domes vary in shape from hemispherical to more elongated forms.

See also: Dome, Cupola, Ottoman architecture, Islamic architecture.