List of Roman domes

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The Pantheon in Rome. Largest dome in the world for more than 1,300 years.
Oculus of the Pantheon

This is a list of Roman domes. The Romans were the first builders in the history of architecture to realize the potential of domes for the creation of large and well-defined interior spaces.[1] Domes were introduced in a number of Roman building types such as temples, thermae, palaces, mausolea and later also churches. Semi-domes also became a favoured architectural element and were adopted as apses in Christian church architecture.[2]

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

Roman Architectural Revolution.[3] Their enormous dimensions remained unsurpassed until the introduction of structural steel frames in the late 19th century (see List of largest domes).[1][4][5]

Domes

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

Diameter ⌀
(m) 		Name,
Part 		Location Built Shape of dome,
Ground plan 		Material,
Roof construction 		Shell
Thickness ST 
(m)
ST to ⌀ 		Curtain Wall
Thickness CWT 
(m)
CWT to ⌀ 		Diameter Oculus DO
(m)
DO to ⌀ 		Comments/
Other Characteristics
~ 43.45 [6] Pantheon Rome 126 AD Rotunda
Concrete
,
Lead plate roofing 		~ 1.35
1:32 		~ 5.93
1:7.3 		8.95
1:4.9
Largest dome of the world until 1436; largest unreinforced solid concrete dome in the world till present;[7] archetype of Western dome construction to this day[4][8]
38.20 [9] Temple of Apollo Lake Avernus 1st c.
~ 35.08 [5] Baths of Caracalla,
Caldarium 		Rome 3rd c. Amphoras Eight pillars;
largest dome of the world out of ceramic hollowware
29.50 [10] Temple of Diana Baiae 2nd c. 1.20
1:25 		~ 5,70 [11]
1:5.2
26.30 [10] Temple of Venus Baiae 2nd c. - ~ 2.90 [12]
1:9.1 		Outer wall pillars
25.04 [13] Mausoleum of Maxentius Rome 4th c. Rotunda
25.00 [14] Baths of Agrippa,
'Arco della Ciambella' 		Rome 1st c. BC Rotunda First
largest dome of the world
24.15 [10] Arch of Galerius and Rotunda Thessaloniki 4th c. Brick ~ 1
1:24 		6.00
1:4
Largest brick dome of the world
23.85 [10] Sanctuary of Asclepius Pergamon 2nd c. Brick - 3.35
1:7.1 		Earliest monumental brick dome;
largest brick dome of the world
~ 23.70 to
~ 19.80 [16]
St. Gereon's Basilica
 Cologne 4th c. Oval with eight niches and apse Later medieval structure with Roman building fabric largest occidental dome between Hagia Sophia and Florence Cathedral[17]
23.65[10] Temple of Minerva Medica Rome 4th c. Decagon
Concrete
with brick ribs 		0.56
1:42 		~ 2.60 [12]
1:9.1 		Outer wall pillars
~ 22.00 [18] Baths of Antoninus Carthage 2nd c. Polygon Seven domes with diameters between 17 and 22 m[18]
~ 22.00 [19] Rotunda at the Hippodrome Constantinople 5th c. Rotunda with ten niches
~ 22.00 [20] Baths of Diocletian,
San Bernardo 		Rome ~ 300
Concrete
with brick ribs
21.65 or
21.25 [21][22] 		Baths of Diocletian,
'Planetarium' 		Rome ~ 300 Umbrella dome,
Octagon
Concrete
with inner brick covering 		4.20
1:5.1
21.55 [22] Temple of Mercury Baiae 1st c. BC
Concrete[23]
 3.65
1:5.9 		Earliest monumental dome;
largest dome of the world
20.18 [10] Mausoleum of Helena Rome 4th c. Ceramic amphora incorporated into dome's base 0.90
1:22 		2.40
1:8.4
~ 19.80 [21] Baths of Caracalla,
Side building 		Rome 3rd c. Octagon Preliminary form of the pendentive dome[21]
~ 19.40 [21] Baths of Bacucco Near Viterbo 4th c. Umbrella dome,
Octagon
19.30 [22] Baths of Diocletian,
Tepidarium 		Rome ~ 300 3.68
1:5.2
18.38 [10] Pantheon Ostia 3rd c. - 1.98
1:9.3
~ 18.00 [16] Church of Euphemia Constantinople 5th c. Hexagon
16.75 [25] Hadrian's Villa,
'Serapeum'
Tivoli
 2nd c. Umbrella dome
Concrete
 Hollow space system
16.45 [18] Imperial Baths,
Tepidarium 		Trier 4th c.
Concrete
15.70 [18] Basilica of San Vitale Ravenna 6th c. Clay pipe,
Wooden roof construction
~ 15.60 [22] Nymphaeum in Albano Laziale ? 1st c.
Concrete
 2.08
1:7.6 		Earliest evidence for hollow spaces at dome's base for reduction in weight[26]
~ 15.00 to
~ 13.00 [15] 		Southern baths Bosra 3rd-4th c. Octagon
Concrete
~ 15.00 [16] Western baths Jerash 2nd c.
Square
 		Voussoir One of the earliest stone domes with square plan;
largest stone dome of the world
14.70[10] Heroon of Romulus at the Roman Forum Rome 4th c. Lead plate roofing 0.90
1:16 		~ 1.80
1:8.2 		3,70
1:4.0
~ 14.50 [10] Temple of Portunus Porto ~ 3rd c.
Concrete
with inner brick covering 		- ~ 2.20
1:6.6
13.71 [10] Mausoleum of Tor de' Schiavi
Via Prenestina
 4th c. 0.60
1:23 		2.60
1:5.3 		Four openings at dome's base
13.48 [24] Domus Aurea Rome 1st c. Cloister vault,
Octagon
Concrete
 5.99
1:2.3 		First dome with octagonal plan; earliest in palace architecture[24]
13.35 [10] Mausoleum of Diocletian
Split
 ~ 300 Brick,
Tiled roof 		0.68
1:20 		3.40 [11]
1:3.9 		Double-walled dome[13]
12.90 [13] Chapel of Saint Aquilino Milan 4th c. Brick
12.33 [27] Tempio della Tosse
Tivoli
 4th c.
Concrete
with brick ribs 		1.30
1:9 		2.08
1:5.9 		2.10
1:5.9
~ 12.00 [20] Hadrian's Villa,
Summer Triclinium (Exedra)
Tivoli
 2nd c.
Concrete
with inner brick covering
~ 12.00 [18] Baths of Aquae Flavianae El Hammam 3rd c. Clay pipes
Largest dome of the world out of ceramic hollowware
~ 12.00 [16] Church of Hodegetria Constantinople 5th c. Hexagon
~ 12.00 [16] Skeuophylakion Constantinople ~ 5th c. Dodecagon
11.90 [10] Baptistery Nocera Superiore
Campania 		6th c. Eight rectangular dome windows
~ 11.90 [28] Hadrian's Villa,
'Heliocaminus'
Tivoli
 2nd c. Double-walled dome with spacing for ceiling heating[28]
11.50 [29] Red Basilica Pergamon ~ 2nd c. Brick Two Rotunda;
largest brick dome of the world
11.50 [27]
Santa Costanza
 Rome 4th c.
Concrete
with brick ribs,
Tiled roof directly resting on dome shell 		~ 0.70
1:16 		1.45
1:7.9 		Tambour[30]
~ 11.50 [16] Mor Gabriel Monastery Tur Abdin 6th c. Brick yes
11.47 [27] Praetorium Cologne 4th c. Octagon - 2.00 [11]
1:5.7
11.10 [27] Gordian's Villa
Via Prenestina
 3rd c. Octagon - ~ 1.35 [11]
1:8.2 		Preliminary form of the pendentive dome;[21] eight openings at dome's base
11.00 [5] Therme d’Allance ? ?
~ 10.80 [27] Mausoleum of Gallien
Via Appia
 3rd c. Rotunda with six niches - ~ 1.60
1:6.8
10.70 [27] Mausoleum of Centocelle Centcelles,
near Tarragona 		4th c. Brick and stone ~ 0.40
1:27 		~ 1.90
1:5.6
~ 10.40 to
~ 9.40 [25] 		Hadrian's Villa,
small baths
Tivoli
 2nd c. Elliptical dome with wavelike rim
~ 10.00 [25] Gordian's Villa,
Hall 		Via Prenestina ~ 2nd c.
~ 10.00 [26] Villa delle Vignacce Via Latina 2nd c. Ceramic amphora at dome's base Earliest known use of amphora at dome's base[26]
9.85 [18] Cathedral,
Baptistery 		Ravenna 5th c.
9.50 [31]
Rotunda of St. George, Sofia
 Sofia early 4th c. Rotunda Built by the Romans in the 4th century, it is a cylindrical domed structure built on a square base.
~ 9.50 [21] Hadrian's Villa,
Piazza d'Oro (vestibule)
Tivoli
 2nd c. Umbrella dome ~ 1,90
1:5.0
~ 9.50 [19] Praetextat catacomb,
'Calventier tomb' 		Rome 3rd c. Rotunda with six niches
~ 9.00 [15] Capito Thermae,
Laconicum 		Miletus 1st c.
Concrete
~ 9.00 [16] Small Roundtemple Baalbek 3rd c.
~ 8.50 [19] Domus Augustana Rome 1st c. Cloister vault,
Octagon 		One of the earliest cloister vaults with octagonal curtain walls[19]
8.10 [27] Torraccio del Palombaro
Via Appia
 ~ 4th c. ~ 0.90
1:9 		2,30
1:3.5 		~ 1.50
1:5.4
~ 7.70 [21] Baths of Maxentius Rome 4th c. Umbrella dome,
Octagon
7.60 [5]
Domus Flavia
 Rome 1st c.
~ 7.60 to
~ 6.20 [19] 		Hadrian's Villa,
'Heliocaminus' 		? 2nd c. Cloister vault,
Uneven octagon
~ 6.80 [16] Nymphaeum Riza,
Epirus 		~ 250-350 Dodecagon
~ 6.75 [21] Temple of Venus,
Annex building 		Baiae 2nd c. Flat umbrella dome,
Octagon
6.65 [22] Hall of Thermae Pisa ? ~ 2nd c. Cloister vault with eight windows,
Octagon 		2.00
1:3.3
6.52 [24] Stabian Thermae,
Laconicum 		Pompeii 1st c. BC Cone vault (early form of the dome)
Concrete
 yes Oldest known concrete domes[24]
~ 6.00 [18] Hunting Thermae Leptis Magna ~ 200 Cloister vault with eight windows
5.86 [18] Arch of Marcus Aurelius Tripoli ? Cloister vault Voussoir
~ 5.70 [10] Water Castellum Pompeii 30 BC-
14 AD 		Flat dome
5.40 [21] Octagon near 'Temple of Mercury' Baiae 2nd c. Umbrella dome,
Octagon
~ 5.40 [13] San Vitale,
Stair towers 		Ravenna 6th c. Brick
5.20 [16] Sedia del Diavolo,
Tomb 		Rome,
Via Nomentana 		2nd c.
Square
~ 4.70 [19] Tabularium Rome 1st c. BC
Square
 Earliest cloister vault[16]
4.41 [25] Temple of Venus,
Annex building 		Baiae 2nd c. Umbrella dome above circular ground plan 0.59
1:7.5
~ 4.40 [32] Mausoleum of Galla Placidia Ravenna 5th c. Tiled roof
~ 4.00 [10] Tomb at Casal de' Pazzi Rome,
Via Nomentana 		2nd c. In-circle dome,
Square
Concrete
 Preform of pendentive dome;[10] hollow space system
1.65 [24] Villa of the Mysteries,
Laconicum 		Pompeii 1st c. BC Cone vault (early form of the dome) Brick and clay (upper calotte) Concrete wall shell[33]
? [19] Mausoleum of Constantine at the Church of the Holy Apostles Constantinople 4th c. Presumably Rotunda with twelve niches

Half-domes

Diameter ⌀ Name,
Part 		Location Built Shape of dome,
Ground plan 		Material,
Roof construction 		Shell
thickness (ST)
ST to ⌀ 		Curtain wall
thickness (CWT)
CWT to ⌀ 		Comments/
Other characteristics
~ 30.00 [6] Baths of Trajan Rome ?
Largest dome(s) of the world
~ 22.00 [6] Baths of Diocletian,
Two apse halls 		Rome ~ 300
~ 18.50 [6] Trajan's Forum Rome ?
~ 15.80 [18]
Santi Cosma e Damiano
,
Apse 		Rome 6th c.
~ 11.00 [15] Nymphaeum Jerash 2nd c.
Concrete
~ 9.60 [15] Basilica,
Apse
Bostra
 ~ 3rd c.
Concrete
, inside covered with ashlar
~ 8.00 [15] Cathedral,
Annex rooms
Bostra
 6th c.
Concrete
~ 5.70 [13] Pantheon,
Front niches 		Rome 2nd c.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Rasch 1985, p. 117
  2. ^ Buildner. "How Roman architecture influenced modern architecture". architecturecompetitions.com. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
  3. ^ Lechtman & Hobbs 1986
  4. ^ a b Mark & Hutchinson 1986, p. 24
  5. ^ a b c d Heinle & Schlaich 1996, p. 27
  6. ^ a b c d Rasch 1985, p. 119
  7. ^ Romanconcrete.com
  8. ^ Müller 2005, p. 253
  9. ^ Bishop 1977, p. 92
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Rasch 1985, p. 129
  11. ^ a b c d Corner
  12. ^ a b Pillar
  13. ^ a b c d e Rasch 1985, p. 123
  14. ^ a b Heinz 1983, pp. 60–64
  15. ^ a b c d e f Rasch 1985, p. 125
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Rasch 1985, p. 126
  17. ^ Schäfke 1985, pp. 100 & 118
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rasch 1985, p. 124
  19. ^ a b c d e f g Rasch 1985, p. 127
  20. ^ a b Rasch 1985, p. 138
  21. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rasch 1985, p. 130
  22. ^ a b c d e Rasch 1985, p. 136
  23. ^ Mark & Hutchinson 1986, p. 33
  24. ^ a b c d e f Rasch 1985, p. 118
  25. ^ a b c d Rasch 1985, p. 133
  26. ^ a b c Rasch 1985, p. 135
  27. ^ a b c d e f g Rasch 1985, p. 128
  28. ^ a b Rasch 1985, p. 139
  29. ^ Rasch 1985, p. 137
  30. ^ Rasch 1985, p. 120
  31. ^ "Rotunda St. George, Sofia City". bulgariatravel.org. Archived from the original on 2014-05-20.
  32. ^ Rasch 1985, p. 134
  33. ^ Rasch 1985, p. 122

Sources

Main source
  • Rasch, Jürgen (1985), "Die Kuppel in der römischen Architektur. Entwicklung, Formgebung, Konstruktion", Architectura, vol. 15, pp. 117–139
Further sources
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Roman_domes&oldid=1210869185"