Dome

From Wikinfo

A dome is a common structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Domes do not have to be perfectly spherical in cross-section, however; it is sufficient that they simply be curved surfaces.

A dome can be considered as an arch which has been rotated around its vertical axis. As such, domes have a great deal of structural strength. They can be constructed of ordinary masonry, held together by friction and compressive forces.

Famous domes, listed in order of their completion include the Roman Pantheon, the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, the Renaissance dome of the Duomo in Florence, the dome of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, the Taj Mahal in India, and the [steel-framed] United States Capitol dome in Washington, DC.

A variant is the Onion dome that resembles more than half of a sphere, exemplified by Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow.

See also: Geodesic dome.

References

• Adapted from the Wikipedia article, "Dome" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dome, used under the GNU Free Documentation License