The dome has been used to roof great public buildings since antiquity.  This is a selection of the many wonderful domes that can be found across Europe. They are placed in a chronological order.

The Pantheon, Rome

The dome of the Pantheon  in Rome with oculus (central hole allowing in the light) was the largest dome in the world for more than 1300 years.  It remains the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome.

The Dome of the Hagia Sophia, Istanbul 

This building was constructed between 532 and 537 AD.

The dome of St Maria in Florence

This is regarded as the first modern dome from the early renaissance. It was completed in 1436. The builders were unable to find the recipe for the concrete used in the Pantheon . Their solution was to build a dome in brick.

The Dome of St Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, Rome

The dome of St. Peter’s rises to a total height of 136.57 metres (448.1 ft) from the floor of the basilica to the top of the external cross. It is the tallest dome in the world.  Michelangelo worked on the design while in his 70s.  He drew on experience gained at Florence. The dome was completed in 1590

The dome of St Paul’s, London

St Paul’s cathedral was constructed between 1675 and 1708. The architect, Sir Christopher Wren, was clearly inspired by the dome of St Peter’s Basilica. At St Paul’s Wren ingeniously built three domes. On the outside, the dome of St Paul’s rises 108 m (365 feet) to the cross at the summit. On the inside, the dome starts to turn in at the Stone Gallery which is 53.4 metres above the cathedral floor. The inner dome is proportioned to provide an aesthetically pleasing interior. The middle dome carries the weight of the outer dome and apex. The outer dome is a thin structural shell that can be seen across London.