List of Roman domes

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List of Roman domes

This is a List of Roman domes. The Romans

Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome was a civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC....
were the first builder in the history of architecture

History of architecture

The history of architecture traces the changes in the history of architecture through various countries and dates....
to relise the potential of dome

Dome

A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
s for the creation of large and well-defined interior spaces. Domes were introduced in a number of Roman building types such as temples

Roman temple

In the ancient religion of Roman paganism, practitioners often performed their worship at a temple....
, thermae

Thermae

The terms balnea or thermae were the words the Ancient Rome used for the buildings housing their public baths.Most Roman cities had at least one, if not many, such buildings, which were centers of public bathing and socialization....
, palace

Palace

A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop....
s, mausolea

Mausoleum

A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons....
and later also churches. Half-domes became a favoured architectural element and were adopted as apse

Apse

In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical Vault . In Romanesque architecture, Byzantine architecture and Gothic architecture Christian abbey, cathedral and church architecture, the term is applied to the semi-circular or polygonal section of the sanctuary at the liturgical east end beyond the altar....
s in Christian

Christianity

Christianity is a Monotheistic religion #Christian view religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus as New Testament view on Jesus' life....
sacred architecture.

Monumental domes began to appear in the 1st century BC in Rome

Rome

Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....
and the provinces

Roman province

In Ancient Rome, a province was the basic, and until the Tetrarchy , largest territorial and administrative unit of the empire's territorial possessions outside of the Italia ....
around the Mediterranean.

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Encyclopedia

This is a List of Roman domes. The Romans

Ancient Rome

History of architecture

The history of architecture traces the changes in the history of architecture through various countries and dates....
to relise the potential of dome

Dome

Roman temple

In the ancient religion of Roman paganism, practitioners often performed their worship at a temple....
, thermae

Thermae

Palace

A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop....
s, mausolea

Mausoleum

Apse

Christianity

Rome

Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....
and the provinces

Roman province

Roman concrete

Roman concrete was a material used in construction during the Roman Empire. Roman concrete was based on a hydraulic cement with many material qualities similar to modern Portland cement....
, a process which has been termed the Roman Architectural Revolution. Domes, along with vaults, gradually replaced the traditional post and lintel construction

Post and lintel

Post and lintel is a simple construction technique, also called "post and Beam ", where a horizontal member is supported by two vertical posts at either end....
during the time of the empire

Roman Empire

The Roman Empire was the Roman Republic phase of the Ancient Rome, characterised by an autocracy form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
. Their enormous dimensions remained unsurpassed until the introduction of structural steel

Steel

Steel is an alloy consisting mostly of iron, with a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.14% by weight , depending on grade. Carbon is the most cost-effective alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten....
frames in the late 19th century (see List of the world's largest domes).

Domes

All diameters are clear span in m. For polygonal domes applies the in-circle diameter. Main source is Jürgen Rasch's study of Roman domes (1985).

Diameter ?	Name, Part	Location	Built	Shape of dome, Ground plan	Material, Roof construction	Shell thickness (ST) ST to ?	Curtain wall thickness (CWT) CWT to ?	Diameter Oculus Oculus Oculus is the Latin word for eye, and the word remains in use in certain contexts, as the name of the round opening in the top of the dome of the Pantheon, Rome in Rome, and in reference to other round windows and openings.... (DO) DO to ?	Comments/ Other characteristics
	Pantheon Pantheon, Rome The Pantheon is a building in Rome which was originally built as a temple to all the gods of Ancient Rome, and rebuilt circa 126 AD during Hadrian's reign....	Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....		Rotunda Rotunda (architecture) A rotunda is any building with a circular ground plan, often covered by a dome. It can also refer to a round room within a building . The Pantheon, Rome in Rome is a famous rotunda....	Concrete Opus caementicium Opus caementicium was the Roman technique of constructing structures using concrete. It was used from the beginning of the Roman republic through the whole history of the Roman empire.... , Lead plate roofing	1:32	1:7,3	1:4,9	Largest dome of the world until 1881 List of world's largest domes Domes are in architectural terms particularly demanding structures. A dome may be defined as a self-supporting structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere; this definition excludes structures such as The O2 in London which is 365m in diameter and supported by masts.... ; largest unreinforced solid concrete dome in the world till present; archetype of Western dome construction to this day
		Lake Avernus Lake Avernus Lake Avernus is a volcano crater lake located in the Campania region of southern Italy, around 4 km northwest of Pozzuoli. It is near the volcanic field known as the Campi Flegrei and comprises part of the wider Campanian volcanic arc....
	Baths of Caracalla Baths of Caracalla The Baths of Caracalla were Ancient Rome public baths, or thermae, built in Rome between AD 212 and 216, during the reign of the Caracalla.... , Caldarium Caldarium A Caldarium was a room with a hot plunge bath, used in a Roman bath complex.This was a very hot and steamy room heated by a hypocaust, an underfloor heating system....	Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....			Amphora Amphora An amphora is a type of ceramic vase with two handles and a long neck narrower than the body. The word amphora is Latin, derived from the Greek language amphoreus , an abbreviation of amphiphoreus , a compound word combining amphi- plus phoreus , from pherein , referring to the vessel's two carrying handles on opp... s				Eight pillars; largest dome of the world out of ceramic hollowware List of world's largest domes Domes are in architectural terms particularly demanding structures. A dome may be defined as a self-supporting structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere; this definition excludes structures such as The O2 in London which is 365m in diameter and supported by masts....
		Baiae Baiae Baiae is a frazione of the comune of Bacoli, in the Campania region of Italy on the Bay of Naples. It was named after Baius, who was supposedly buried there....				1:25	1:5,2
		Baiae Baiae Baiae is a frazione of the comune of Bacoli, in the Campania region of Italy on the Bay of Naples. It was named after Baius, who was supposedly buried there....					1:9,1		Outer wall pillars
	Mausoleum of Maxentius	Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....
	Baths of Agrippa Baths of Agrippa The Baths of Agrippa in ancient Rome, built by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, were the first of the great thermae constructed in Rome. In their first form, constructed at the same time as the Pantheon, Rome and on axis with it, as a balaneion , they were apparently a hot-air bath with a cold plunge, not unlike a sauna.... , 'Arco della Ciambella'	Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....		Rotunda Rotunda (architecture) A rotunda is any building with a circular ground plan, often covered by a dome. It can also refer to a round room within a building . The Pantheon, Rome in Rome is a famous rotunda....					First Thermae Thermae The terms *balnea* or *thermae* were the words the Ancient Rome used for the buildings housing their public baths.Most Roman cities had at least one, if not many, such buildings, which were centers of public bathing and socialization.... in Rome with central dome; largest dome of the world List of world's largest domes Domes are in architectural terms particularly demanding structures. A dome may be defined as a self-supporting structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere; this definition excludes structures such as The O2 in London which is 365m in diameter and supported by masts....
	Rotunda of St. George Arch and Tomb of Galerius The Arch of Galerius and the Tomb of Galerius are neighboring monuments in the city of Thessaloniki, in the province of Central Macedonia in northern Greece....	Thessaloniki Thessaloniki Thessaloniki , Thessalonica, or Salonica is the List of largest cities and second largest cities by country in Greece and the capital of Macedonia , the nation's largest Regions of Greece....			Brick	1:24	1:4		Largest brick dome of the world List of world's largest domes Domes are in architectural terms particularly demanding structures. A dome may be defined as a self-supporting structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere; this definition excludes structures such as The O2 in London which is 365m in diameter and supported by masts....
	Sanctuary of Asclepius Pergamon Pergamon or Pergamum was an ancient Ancient Greece city in modern-day Turkey, in Mysia, north-western Anatolia, 16 miles from the Aegean Sea, located on a promontory on the north side of the river Caicus , that became the capital of the Kingdom of Pergamon during the Hellenistic Greece, under the Attalid dynasty, 281–133 BC....	Pergamon Pergamon Pergamon or Pergamum was an ancient Ancient Greece city in modern-day Turkey, in Mysia, north-western Anatolia, 16 miles from the Aegean Sea, located on a promontory on the north side of the river Caicus , that became the capital of the Kingdom of Pergamon during the Hellenistic Greece, under the Attalid dynasty, 281–133 BC....			Brick		1:7,1		Earliest monumental brick dome; largest brick dome of the world List of world's largest domes Domes are in architectural terms particularly demanding structures. A dome may be defined as a self-supporting structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere; this definition excludes structures such as The O2 in London which is 365m in diameter and supported by masts....
~ 19,80	St. Gereon's Basilica St. Gereon's Basilica St. Gereon's Basilica is a basilica church in Cologne, Germany, dedicated to Saint Gereon. Begun in 1067, it is one of twelve great basilicas in Cologne that were built in the Romanesque architecture....	Cologne Cologne Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the German Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants....		Oval with eight niches and apse Apse In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical Vault . In Romanesque architecture, Byzantine architecture and Gothic architecture Christian abbey, cathedral and church architecture, the term is applied to the semi-circular or polygonal section of the sanctuary at the liturgical east end beyond the altar....					Later medieval structure with Roman building fabric largest occidental Western world The term Western world, the West or the Occident can have multiple meanings dependent on its context . Accordingly, the basic definition of what constitutes "the West" varies, expanding and contracting over time, in relation to various historical circumstances.... dome between Hagia Sophia Hagia Sophia Hagia Sophia is a former Patriarchate basilica, later a mosque, now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey. Famous in particular for its massive dome, it is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture.... and Florence Cathedral
		Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....		Decagon Decagon In geometry, a decagon is any polygon with ten sides and ten angles, and usually refers to a regular polygon decagon, having all sides of equal length and all internal angles equal to 4π/5 ....	Concrete Opus caementicium Opus caementicium was the Roman technique of constructing structures using concrete. It was used from the beginning of the Roman republic through the whole history of the Roman empire.... with brick rips	1:42	1:9,1		Outer wall pillars
	Baths of Antoninus	Carthage Carthage Carthage refers both to an ancient city in present-day Tunisia, and a modern-day suburb of Tunis. The civilization that developed within the city's sphere of influence is referred to as Punic or Carthaginian....		Polygon Polygon In geometry a polygon is traditionally a plane Shape that is bounded by a closed curve path or circuit, composed of a finite sequence of straight line segments ....					Seven domes with diameters between 17 and 22 m
	Rotunda at the Hippodrome Hippodrome of Constantinople The Hippodrome of Constantinople was a Race track that was the sporting and social centre of Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire and the largest city in Europe....	Constantinople Constantinople Constantinople was the empire capital of the Roman Empire , the Byzantine Empire , the Latin Empire , and the Ottoman Empire . Strategically located between the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara at the point where Europe meets Asia, Byzantine Constantinople had been the capital of a Christendom empire, successor to ancient ancient Greece...		Rotunda Rotunda (architecture) A rotunda is any building with a circular ground plan, often covered by a dome. It can also refer to a round room within a building . The Pantheon, Rome in Rome is a famous rotunda.... with ten niches
	Baths of Diocletian Baths of Diocletian The Baths of Diocletian in Ancient Rome were the grandest of the public baths, or thermae built by successive emperors. Diocletian's Baths, dedicated in 306, were the largest and most sumptuous of the imperial baths and remained in use until the aqueducts that fed them were cut by the Goths in 537.... , San Bernardo San Bernardo San Bernardo may refer to:...	Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....	~ 300		Concrete Opus caementicium Opus caementicium was the Roman technique of constructing structures using concrete. It was used from the beginning of the Roman republic through the whole history of the Roman empire.... with brick rips
21,25	Baths of Diocletian Baths of Diocletian The Baths of Diocletian in Ancient Rome were the grandest of the public baths, or thermae built by successive emperors. Diocletian's Baths, dedicated in 306, were the largest and most sumptuous of the imperial baths and remained in use until the aqueducts that fed them were cut by the Goths in 537.... , 'Planetarium'	Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....	~ 300	Umbrella dome, Octagon Octagon In geometry, an octagon is a polygon that has 8 sides. A regular octagon is represented by the Schl?fli symbol ....	Concrete Opus caementicium Opus caementicium was the Roman technique of constructing structures using concrete. It was used from the beginning of the Roman republic through the whole history of the Roman empire.... with inner brick covering			1:5,1
		Baiae Baiae Baiae is a frazione of the comune of Bacoli, in the Campania region of Italy on the Bay of Naples. It was named after Baius, who was supposedly buried there....			Concrete Opus caementicium Opus caementicium was the Roman technique of constructing structures using concrete. It was used from the beginning of the Roman republic through the whole history of the Roman empire....			1:5,9	Earliest monumental dome; largest dome of the world List of world's largest domes Domes are in architectural terms particularly demanding structures. A dome may be defined as a self-supporting structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere; this definition excludes structures such as The O2 in London which is 365m in diameter and supported by masts....
	Mausoleum of Helena	Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....			Ceramic amphora incorporated into dome's base	1:22	1:8,4
	Baths of Caracalla Baths of Caracalla The Baths of Caracalla were Ancient Rome public baths, or thermae, built in Rome between AD 212 and 216, during the reign of the Caracalla.... , Side building	Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....		Octagon Octagon In geometry, an octagon is a polygon that has 8 sides. A regular octagon is represented by the Schl?fli symbol ....					Preliminary form of the pendentive dome Pendentive A pendentive is a constructive device permitting the placing of a circular dome over a square room or an ellipse dome over a rectangular room....
	Baths of Bacucco			Umbrella dome, Octagon Octagon In geometry, an octagon is a polygon that has 8 sides. A regular octagon is represented by the Schl?fli symbol ....
	Baths of Diocletian Baths of Diocletian The Baths of Diocletian in Ancient Rome were the grandest of the public baths, or thermae built by successive emperors. Diocletian's Baths, dedicated in 306, were the largest and most sumptuous of the imperial baths and remained in use until the aqueducts that fed them were cut by the Goths in 537.... , Tepidarium Tepidarium The tepidarium was the warm bathroom of the thermae heated by a hypocaust or underfloor heating system.The specialty of a tepidarium is the pleasant feeling of constant radiant heat which directly affects the human body from the walls and floor....	Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....	~ 300					1:5,2
		Ostia Ostia Antica Ostia Antica is a large archeological site that was the harbour city of ancient Rome, which is approximately 30 kilometers northeast of the site....					1:9,3
	Church of Euphemia	Constantinople Constantinople Constantinople was the empire capital of the Roman Empire , the Byzantine Empire , the Latin Empire , and the Ottoman Empire . Strategically located between the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara at the point where Europe meets Asia, Byzantine Constantinople had been the capital of a Christendom empire, successor to ancient ancient Greece...		Hexagon Hexagon In geometry, a hexagon is a polygon with six edges and six Vertex . A regular hexagon has Schl?fli symbol ....
	Hadrian's Villa Hadrian's Villa The Hadrian's Villa is a large Roman Empire archaeological complex at Tivoli, Italy, Italy.... , 'Serapeum Serapeum A Serapeum is a temple or other religious institution dedicated to the syncretism Hellenistic civilization-Ancient Egypt god Serapis, who combined aspects of Osiris and Apis in a humanized form that was palatable to the Ptolemaic dynasty of Alexandria.... '	Tivoli Tivoli, Italy Tivoli, the classical Tibur, is an ancient Italy town in Lazio, about 30 km from Rome, at the falls of the Aniene river, where it issues from the Sabine hills....		Umbrella dome	Concrete Opus caementicium Opus caementicium was the Roman technique of constructing structures using concrete. It was used from the beginning of the Roman republic through the whole history of the Roman empire....				Hollow space system
	Imperial Baths, Tepidarium	Trier Trier Trier is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle River. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC. Trier is not the only city claiming to be Germany's oldest, but it is the only one that bases this assertion on having the longest history as a city, as opposed to a mere settlement or army camp....			Concrete Opus caementicium Opus caementicium was the Roman technique of constructing structures using concrete. It was used from the beginning of the Roman republic through the whole history of the Roman empire....
	Basilica of San Vitale Basilica of San Vitale The Church or Basilica of San Vitale? styled an "Basilica" in the Roman Catholic Church, though it is not of Basilica form? is the most famous monument of Ravenna, Italy and is one of the most important examples of Byzantine Art and architecture in western Europe....	Ravenna Ravenna Ravenna is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The city is inland, but is connected to the Adriatic Sea by a canal. Ravenna once served as the seat of the Western Roman Empire and later the Ostrogoths and the Exarchate of Ravenna....			Clay pipe, Wooden roof construction
	Nymphaeum Nymphaeum A nymphaeum, in ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, was a monument consecrated to the nymphs, especially those of Spring . These monuments were originally natural grottoes, which tradition assigned as habitations to the local nymphs.... in Albano Albano Albano may refer to:geographyAlbano di Lucania, comune* in the province of PotenzaAlbano Laziale, comune* in the province of Rome*Lake Albano, lake in Italy...	?			Concrete Opus caementicium Opus caementicium was the Roman technique of constructing structures using concrete. It was used from the beginning of the Roman republic through the whole history of the Roman empire....			1:7,6	Earliest evidence for hollow spaces at dome's base for reduction in weight
~13,00	Southern baths	Bostra		Octagon Octagon In geometry, an octagon is a polygon that has 8 sides. A regular octagon is represented by the Schl?fli symbol ....	Concrete Opus caementicium Opus caementicium was the Roman technique of constructing structures using concrete. It was used from the beginning of the Roman republic through the whole history of the Roman empire....
	Western baths	Gerasa		Square Square (geometry) In Euclidean geometry, a square is a regular polygon with four equal sides and four equal angles . A square with vertices ABCD would be denoted ....	Voussoir Voussoir A voussoir is a wedge-shaped element, typically a stone, used in building an arch.Although each unit of stone in an arch or vault is known as a voussoir, there are two specified voussoir components of an arch: the Keystone and the Springer ....				One of the earliest stone domes with square plan; largest stone dome of the world List of world's largest domes Domes are in architectural terms particularly demanding structures. A dome may be defined as a self-supporting structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere; this definition excludes structures such as The O2 in London which is 365m in diameter and supported by masts....
		Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....			Lead plate roofing	1:16	1:8,2	1:4,0
		Porto Porto Porto , also Oporto in English, is Portugal's second city and capital of the Norte, Portugal NUTS II region. The city is located in the estuary of the Douro river in northern Portugal....	~ 3rd c.		Concrete Opus caementicium Opus caementicium was the Roman technique of constructing structures using concrete. It was used from the beginning of the Roman republic through the whole history of the Roman empire.... with inner brick covering		1:6,6
	Mausoleum at Tor de'Schiavi	Via Prenestina				1:23	1:5,3		Four openings at dome's base
	Domus Aurea Domus Aurea The *Domus Aurea* was a large landscaped portico villa, designed to take advantage of artificially created landscapes built in the heart of Ancient Rome by the Roman Empire Nero after the Great fire of Rome, which devastated Ancient Rome in 64 AD, had cleared away the aristocratic dwellings on the slopes of the Esquiline Hill....	Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....		Cloister vault, Octagon Octagon In geometry, an octagon is a polygon that has 8 sides. A regular octagon is represented by the Schl?fli symbol ....	Concrete Opus caementicium Opus caementicium was the Roman technique of constructing structures using concrete. It was used from the beginning of the Roman republic through the whole history of the Roman empire....			1:2,3	First dome with octagonal plan; earliest in palace architecture
	Mausoleum of Diocletian Diocletian's Palace Diocletian's Palace is a building in Split , Croatia that was built by the emperor Diocletian at the turn of the fourth century AD.Diocletian built the massive palace in preparation for his retirement on May 1, 305 AD....	Split Split (city) Split is the largest Dalmatian city, the second-largest urban centre in Croatia, and the seat of Split-Dalmatia County. The city is situated on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, more specifically the eastern Adriatic Sea, spreading over a central peninsula and its surroundings, with its metropolitan area including the many surrounding lit...	~ 300		Brick, Tiled roof	1:20	1:3,9		Double-walled dome
	Chapel of Saint Aquilino Basilica of San Lorenzo, Milan The Basilica of Saint Lawrence is a church in Milan, northern Italy, dedicated to the Christian martyr St. Lawrence....	Milan Milan Milan is the second largest city of Italy, located in the plains of Lombardy. It is the capital in the Province of Milan, as well as the Regions of Italy capital of Lombardy....			Brick
		Tivoli Tivoli, Italy Tivoli, the classical Tibur, is an ancient Italy town in Lazio, about 30 km from Rome, at the falls of the Aniene river, where it issues from the Sabine hills....			Concrete Opus caementicium Opus caementicium was the Roman technique of constructing structures using concrete. It was used from the beginning of the Roman republic through the whole history of the Roman empire.... with brick rips	1:9	1:5,9	1:5,9
	Hadrian's Villa Hadrian's Villa The Hadrian's Villa is a large Roman Empire archaeological complex at Tivoli, Italy, Italy.... , Summer Triclinium Triclinium A triclinium is a formal dining room in a Ancient Rome building. The word is adopted from the Greek language t?????????, triklinion, from t??-, tri- and ?????, kline, a couch.... (Exedra Exedra In architecture, an exedra is a semicircular recess, often crowned by a half-dome, which is usually set into a building's facade. The original Greek sense was applied to a room that opened onto a stoa, ringed with curved high-backed stone benches, a suitable place for a philosophical conversation.... )	Tivoli Tivoli, Italy Tivoli, the classical Tibur, is an ancient Italy town in Lazio, about 30 km from Rome, at the falls of the Aniene river, where it issues from the Sabine hills....			Concrete Opus caementicium Opus caementicium was the Roman technique of constructing structures using concrete. It was used from the beginning of the Roman republic through the whole history of the Roman empire.... with inner brick covering
	Baths of Aquae Flavianae	El Hammam			Clay pipes				Largest dome of the world out of ceramic hollowware List of world's largest domes Domes are in architectural terms particularly demanding structures. A dome may be defined as a self-supporting structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere; this definition excludes structures such as The O2 in London which is 365m in diameter and supported by masts....
	Church of Hodegetria	Constantinople Constantinople Constantinople was the empire capital of the Roman Empire , the Byzantine Empire , the Latin Empire , and the Ottoman Empire . Strategically located between the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara at the point where Europe meets Asia, Byzantine Constantinople had been the capital of a Christendom empire, successor to ancient ancient Greece...		Hexagon Hexagon In geometry, a hexagon is a polygon with six edges and six Vertex . A regular hexagon has Schl?fli symbol ....
	Skeuophylakion	Constantinople Constantinople Constantinople was the empire capital of the Roman Empire , the Byzantine Empire , the Latin Empire , and the Ottoman Empire . Strategically located between the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara at the point where Europe meets Asia, Byzantine Constantinople had been the capital of a Christendom empire, successor to ancient ancient Greece...	~ 5th c.	Dodecagon Dodecagon In geometry, a dodecagon is any polygon with 12 sides and twelve angles....
	Baptistery Baptistery In Architecture the baptistery or baptistry is the separate centrally-planned structure surrounding the baptismal font. The baptistery may be incorporated within the body of a church or cathedral and be provided with an altar as a chapel....	Nocera Nocera Nocera can refer to:... , Campania Campania Campania is a Regions of Italy of southern Italy in Europe. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy, its total area of 13,595 km? makes it the most densely populated region in the country....							Eight rectangular dome windows
	Hadrian's Villa Hadrian's Villa The Hadrian's Villa is a large Roman Empire archaeological complex at Tivoli, Italy, Italy.... , 'Heliocaminus'	Tivoli Tivoli, Italy Tivoli, the classical Tibur, is an ancient Italy town in Lazio, about 30 km from Rome, at the falls of the Aniene river, where it issues from the Sabine hills....							Double-walled dome with spacing for ceiling heating Hypocaust A 'hypocaust' is an ancient Rome system of central heating. The word literally means "heat from below", from the Ancient Greek hypo meaning below or underneath, and kaiein, to burn or light a fire....
		Pergamon Pergamon Pergamon or Pergamum was an ancient Ancient Greece city in modern-day Turkey, in Mysia, north-western Anatolia, 16 miles from the Aegean Sea, located on a promontory on the north side of the river Caicus , that became the capital of the Kingdom of Pergamon during the Hellenistic Greece, under the Attalid dynasty, 281–133 BC....	~ 2nd c.		Brick				Two Rotunda; largest brick dome of the world List of world's largest domes Domes are in architectural terms particularly demanding structures. A dome may be defined as a self-supporting structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere; this definition excludes structures such as The O2 in London which is 365m in diameter and supported by masts....
	Santa Costanza Santa Costanza Santa Costanza is a churches of Rome Rome, built under Roman Emperor Constantine I and place of burial of his daughters Constantina and Helena....	Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....			Concrete Opus caementicium Opus caementicium was the Roman technique of constructing structures using concrete. It was used from the beginning of the Roman republic through the whole history of the Roman empire.... with brick rips, Tiled roof directly resting on dome shell	1:16	1:7,9		Tambour Tambour In classical architecture, a tambour is the inverted bell of the Corinthian order capital around which are carved Acanthus leaves for decoration....
	Mor Gabriel Monastery	Tur Abdin Tur Abdin Tur Abdin is a hilly region of south east Turkey incorporating the eastern half of Mardin Province, and Sirnak Province west of the Tigris, on the border with Syria....			Brick
	Praetorium Praetorium Praetorium was originally the name of the headquarters of a Ancient Rome army. The praetorium was the commander's tent or building in a Roman fortification, a castra or castellum....	Cologne Cologne Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the German Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants....		Octagon Octagon In geometry, an octagon is a polygon that has 8 sides. A regular octagon is represented by the Schl?fli symbol ....			1:5,7
	Gordian's Villa	Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some .... , Via Prenestina		Octagon Octagon In geometry, an octagon is a polygon that has 8 sides. A regular octagon is represented by the Schl?fli symbol ....			1:8,2		Preliminary form of the pendentive dome Pendentive A pendentive is a constructive device permitting the placing of a circular dome over a square room or an ellipse dome over a rectangular room.... ; eight openings at dome's base
	Therme d’Allance	?
	Mausoleum of Gallien	Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some .... , Via Appia		Rotunda Rotunda (architecture) A rotunda is any building with a circular ground plan, often covered by a dome. It can also refer to a round room within a building . The Pantheon, Rome in Rome is a famous rotunda.... with six niches			1:6,8
		Centcelles, near Tarragona Tarragona Tarragona is a city located in the south of Catalonia and east of Spain, by the Mediterranean Sea. It is the capital of the Spanish Tarragona and the capital of the Catalan comarca Tarragon?s....			Brick and stone	1:27	1:5,6
~ 9,40	Hadrian's Villa Hadrian's Villa The Hadrian's Villa is a large Roman Empire archaeological complex at Tivoli, Italy, Italy.... , small baths	Tivoli Tivoli, Italy Tivoli, the classical Tibur, is an ancient Italy town in Lazio, about 30 km from Rome, at the falls of the Aniene river, where it issues from the Sabine hills....		Elliptical dome with wavelike rim
	Gordian's Villa, Hall	Via Prenestina	~ 2nd c.
		Via Latina Via Latina The Via Latina was a Roman road of Italy, running southeast from Rome for about 200 kilometers.It led from the Porta Latina to the pass of Mons Algidus, so important in the early military history of Rome; and it must have preceded the Via Appia as a route to Campania, in as much as the Latin colony at Cales was founded in 334 BC and must...			Ceramic amphora at dome's base				Earliest known use of amphora at dome's base
	Cathedral Cathedral A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop. It is a Religion building for worship, specifically of a denomination with an episcopal hierarchy, such as the Roman Catholic Church, Anglicanism, Orthodox Christian and some Lutheranism churches, which serves as a bishop's seat, and thus as the central church of a dioc... , Baptistery	Ravenna Ravenna Ravenna is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The city is inland, but is connected to the Adriatic Sea by a canal. Ravenna once served as the seat of the Western Roman Empire and later the Ostrogoths and the Exarchate of Ravenna....
	Hadrian's Villa Hadrian's Villa The Hadrian's Villa is a large Roman Empire archaeological complex at Tivoli, Italy, Italy.... , Piazza d'Oro (vestibule Vestibule Vestibule or Vestibulum can have the following meanings, each primarily based upon a common origin, from early 17th century French, derived from Latin vestibulum, -i n. "entrance court".... )	Tivoli Tivoli, Italy Tivoli, the classical Tibur, is an ancient Italy town in Lazio, about 30 km from Rome, at the falls of the Aniene river, where it issues from the Sabine hills....		Umbrella dome				1:5,0
	Praetextat catacomb, 'Calventier tomb'	Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....		Rotunda Rotunda (architecture) A rotunda is any building with a circular ground plan, often covered by a dome. It can also refer to a round room within a building . The Pantheon, Rome in Rome is a famous rotunda.... with six niches
	Capito Thermae, Laconicum Laconicum Laconicum , the dry sweating room of the Ancient Rome thermae, contiguous to the caldarium or hot room. The name was given to it as being the only form of warm bath that the Spartans admitted....	Miletus Miletus Miletus was an ancient city on the western coast of Anatolia , near the mouth of the Maeander River in ancient Caria. Evidence of first settlement at the site has been made inaccessible by the rise of sea level and deposition of sediments from the Maeander....			Concrete Opus caementicium Opus caementicium was the Roman technique of constructing structures using concrete. It was used from the beginning of the Roman republic through the whole history of the Roman empire....
	Small Roundtemple	Baalbek Baalbek Baalbek is a town in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon, altitude 1,170 m , situated east of the Litani River. It is famous for its exquisitely detailed yet monumentally scaled temple ruins of the Roman Empire period, when Baalbek, known as Heliopolis was one of the largest sanctuaries in the Empire....
	Domus Augustana	Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....		Cloister vault, Octagon Octagon In geometry, an octagon is a polygon that has 8 sides. A regular octagon is represented by the Schl?fli symbol ....					One of the earliest cloister vaults with octagonal curtain walls
		Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some .... , Via Appia	~ 4th c.			1:9	1:3,5	1:5,4
	Baths of Maxentius	Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....		Umbrella dome, Octagon Octagon In geometry, an octagon is a polygon that has 8 sides. A regular octagon is represented by the Schl?fli symbol ....
	Domus Flavia	Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....
~ 6,20	Hadrian's Villa Hadrian's Villa The Hadrian's Villa is a large Roman Empire archaeological complex at Tivoli, Italy, Italy.... , 'Heliocaminus'	?		Cloister vault, Uneven octagon Octagon In geometry, an octagon is a polygon that has 8 sides. A regular octagon is represented by the Schl?fli symbol ....
	Nymphaeum	Riza, Epirus Epirus (region) Epirus is a region in south-eastern Europe, currently divided between the Peripheries of Greece Epirus in Greece and the prefectures of Gjirokast?r, Vlor?, Kor??, and Berat in southern Albania....	~ 250-350	Dodecagon Dodecagon In geometry, a dodecagon is any polygon with 12 sides and twelve angles....
		Baiae Baiae Baiae is a frazione of the comune of Bacoli, in the Campania region of Italy on the Bay of Naples. It was named after Baius, who was supposedly buried there....		Flat umbrella dome, Octagon Octagon In geometry, an octagon is a polygon that has 8 sides. A regular octagon is represented by the Schl?fli symbol ....
	Hall of Thermae Pisa	?	~ 2nd c.	Cloister vault with eight windows, Octagon Octagon In geometry, an octagon is a polygon that has 8 sides. A regular octagon is represented by the Schl?fli symbol ....				1:3,3
	Stabian Thermae, Laconicum Laconicum Laconicum , the dry sweating room of the Ancient Rome thermae, contiguous to the caldarium or hot room. The name was given to it as being the only form of warm bath that the Spartans admitted....	Pompeii Pompeii Pompeii is a ruined and partially buried Ancient Rome town-city near modern Naples in the Italy region of Campania, in the territory of the comune of Pompei....		Cone vault (early form of the dome)	Concrete Opus caementicium Opus caementicium was the Roman technique of constructing structures using concrete. It was used from the beginning of the Roman republic through the whole history of the Roman empire....				Oldest known concrete domes
	Hunting Thermae	Leptis Magna Leptis Magna Leptis Magna, also known as Lectis Magna , also called Lpqy or Neapolis, was a prominent city of the Roman Empire. Its ruins are located in Al Khums, Libya, 130 km east of Tripoli, on the coast where the Wadi Lebda meets the sea....	~ 200	Cloister vault with eight windows
	Arch of Marcus Aurelius Marcus Aurelius Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus was Roman Emperor from 161 to his death in 180. He was the last of the "Five Good Emperors", and is also considered one of the most important stoicism philosophy....	Tripoli Tripoli Tripoli is the largest and Capital city of Libya.Tripoli has a population of 1.69 million. The city is located in the northwest of the country on the edge of the desert, on a point of rocky land projecting into the Mediterranean Sea and forming a bay....		Cloister vault	Voussoir Voussoir A voussoir is a wedge-shaped element, typically a stone, used in building an arch.Although each unit of stone in an arch or vault is known as a voussoir, there are two specified voussoir components of an arch: the Keystone and the Springer ....
	Water Castellum Castellum A castellum is a small Ancient Rome detached fort or fortlet used as a watch tower or signal station. The Latin language word castellum is a diminutive of castra , which in turn is the plural of castrum ; it is the source of the English language word "castle"....	Pompeii Pompeii Pompeii is a ruined and partially buried Ancient Rome town-city near modern Naples in the Italy region of Campania, in the territory of the comune of Pompei....	14 AD	Flat dome
	Octagon near 'Temple of Mercury'	Baiae Baiae Baiae is a frazione of the comune of Bacoli, in the Campania region of Italy on the Bay of Naples. It was named after Baius, who was supposedly buried there....		Umbrella dome, Octagon Octagon In geometry, an octagon is a polygon that has 8 sides. A regular octagon is represented by the Schl?fli symbol ....
	San Vitale, Stair towers	Ravenna Ravenna Ravenna is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The city is inland, but is connected to the Adriatic Sea by a canal. Ravenna once served as the seat of the Western Roman Empire and later the Ostrogoths and the Exarchate of Ravenna....			Brick
		Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some .... , Via Nomentana Via Nomentana Via Nomentana is an ancient road of Italy, leading North-East from Rome to Nomentum , a distance of 23 km . It originally bore the name Via Ficulnensis, from the old Latin village of Ficulnea, about 13 km from Rome....		Square Square (geometry) In Euclidean geometry, a square is a regular polygon with four equal sides and four equal angles . A square with vertices ABCD would be denoted ....
	Tabularium Tabularium The Tabularium was the official records office of ancient Rome, and also housed the offices of many city officials. Situated within the Forum Romanum, it was on the front slope of the Capitoline Hill, below the Temple of Jupiter , to the southeast of the Arx and Tarpeian Rock...	Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....		Cloister vault, Square Square (geometry) In Euclidean geometry, a square is a regular polygon with four equal sides and four equal angles . A square with vertices ABCD would be denoted ....					Earliest cloister vault
		Baiae Baiae Baiae is a frazione of the comune of Bacoli, in the Campania region of Italy on the Bay of Naples. It was named after Baius, who was supposedly buried there....		Umbrella dome above circular ground plan				1:7,5
		Ravenna Ravenna Ravenna is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The city is inland, but is connected to the Adriatic Sea by a canal. Ravenna once served as the seat of the Western Roman Empire and later the Ostrogoths and the Exarchate of Ravenna....			Tiled roof
	Tomb at Casal de' Pazzi	Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some .... , Via Nomentana Via Nomentana Via Nomentana is an ancient road of Italy, leading North-East from Rome to Nomentum , a distance of 23 km . It originally bore the name Via Ficulnensis, from the old Latin village of Ficulnea, about 13 km from Rome....		In-circle dome, Square Square (geometry) In Euclidean geometry, a square is a regular polygon with four equal sides and four equal angles . A square with vertices ABCD would be denoted ....	Concrete Opus caementicium Opus caementicium was the Roman technique of constructing structures using concrete. It was used from the beginning of the Roman republic through the whole history of the Roman empire....				Preform of pendentive dome Pendentive A pendentive is a constructive device permitting the placing of a circular dome over a square room or an ellipse dome over a rectangular room.... ; hollow space system
		Pompeii Pompeii Pompeii is a ruined and partially buried Ancient Rome town-city near modern Naples in the Italy region of Campania, in the territory of the comune of Pompei....		Cone vault (early form of the dome)	Brick and clay (upper calotte)				Concrete wall shell
	Mausoleum of Constantine at the Church of the Holy Apostles Church of the Holy Apostles The Church of the Holy Apostles , also known as the Imperial Polyandreion, was a Christian basilica built in Constantinople in 550. It was second only to the Hagia Sophia among the great churches of the Eastern Empire....	Constantinople Constantinople Constantinople was the empire capital of the Roman Empire , the Byzantine Empire , the Latin Empire , and the Ottoman Empire . Strategically located between the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara at the point where Europe meets Asia, Byzantine Constantinople had been the capital of a Christendom empire, successor to ancient ancient Greece...		Presumably Rotunda Rotunda (architecture) A rotunda is any building with a circular ground plan, often covered by a dome. It can also refer to a round room within a building . The Pantheon, Rome in Rome is a famous rotunda.... with twelve niches

Half-domes

Name, Part	Location	Material, Roof construction	Comments/ Other characteristics
Baths of Trajan Baths of Trajan The Baths of Trajan, begun in AD 104 and dedicated during the Kalends of July in 109, were a massive Ancient Rome thermae and leisure complex, built in Rome....	Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....		Largest dome(s) of the world List of world's largest domes Domes are in architectural terms particularly demanding structures. A dome may be defined as a self-supporting structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere; this definition excludes structures such as The O2 in London which is 365m in diameter and supported by masts....
Baths of Diocletian Baths of Diocletian The Baths of Diocletian in Ancient Rome were the grandest of the public baths, or thermae built by successive emperors. Diocletian's Baths, dedicated in 306, were the largest and most sumptuous of the imperial baths and remained in use until the aqueducts that fed them were cut by the Goths in 537.... , Two apse halls	Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....
Trajan's Forum Trajan's Forum Trajan's Forum is chronologically the last of the Imperial fora of Rome. The forum was constructed by the architect Apollodorus of Damascus....	Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....
Santi Cosma e Damiano Santi Cosma e Damiano The basilica of 'Santi Cosma e Damiano' is one of the ancient Churches of Rome#Ancient churches called Titulus , of which cardinals are patrons as deacons: the Cardinal Deacon of the Titulus Ss.... , Apse	Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....
Nymphaeum	Jerash Jerash Jerash, the Gerasa of Antiquity, is the capital and largest city of Jerash Governorate , which is situated in the north of Jordan, 48 km north of the capital Amman towards Syria....	Concrete Opus caementicium Opus caementicium was the Roman technique of constructing structures using concrete. It was used from the beginning of the Roman republic through the whole history of the Roman empire....
Basilica, Apse	Bostra	Concrete Opus caementicium Opus caementicium was the Roman technique of constructing structures using concrete. It was used from the beginning of the Roman republic through the whole history of the Roman empire.... , inside covered with ashlar
Cathedral, Annex rooms	Bostra	Concrete Opus caementicium Opus caementicium was the Roman technique of constructing structures using concrete. It was used from the beginning of the Roman republic through the whole history of the Roman empire....
Pantheon Pantheon, Rome The Pantheon is a building in Rome which was originally built as a temple to all the gods of Ancient Rome, and rebuilt circa 126 AD during Hadrian's reign.... , Front niches	Rome Rome Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....

Sources

Main source

Jürgen Rasch: Die Kuppel in der römischen Architektur. Entwicklung, Formgebung, Konstruktion, Architectura, Vol. 15 (1985), pp. 117–139

Further sources

Erwin Heinle, Jörg Schlaich: Kuppeln aller Zeiten, aller Kulturen, Stuttgart 1996, ISBN 3-421-03062-6, p. 27
Heather Lechtman, Linn Hobbs: Roman Concrete and the Roman Architectural Revolution, Ceramics and Civilization, Vol. 3: High Technology Ceramics: Past, Present, Future, edited by W.D. Kingery and published by the American Ceramics Society, 1986
John Bishop: The Pantheon: Design, Meaning, and Progeny (Review), Art Journal, Vol. 37, No. 1 (1977), p. 92
Robert Mark, Paul Hutchinson: On the Structure of the Roman Pantheon, Art Bulletin, Vol. 68, No. 1 (1986), pp. 24–34
Werner Heinz: Römische Thermen. Badewesen und Badeluxus im römischen Reich, München 1983, ISBN 3-7774-3540-6, pp. 60–64
Werner Müller: dtv-Atlas Baukunst I. Allgemeiner Teil: Baugeschichte von Mesopotamien bis Byzanz, 14th ed., München 2005, ISBN 3423030208, p. 253
Werner Schäfke: Kölns romanische Kirchen. Architektur, Ausstattung, Geschichte, 5th ed., Köln 1985, ISBN 3-7701-1360-8, pp. 100 & 118

External links

- Technical investigation of Roman public works

List of Roman domes

Domes

Half-domes

Sources

See also

External links