Check these famous pieces of architectural designs from around the world.

1. Imam Ridha Holy Shrine

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A building with remarkable dome is Imam Reza Shrine because it is covered with gold-coated bricks. It was built in 1333 AD) and is located in Mashhad, Iran. Imam Ridha shrine is a complex which contains the mausoleum of Imam Ridha, the eighth Imam of Twelver Shi’ites. This complex is the center of tourism in Iran with approximate visitors of 15 to 20 million pilgrims every year.

2. Mosque of the Prophet

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The dome of Masjid al-Nabawi is documented as existing in the 12th century making it one of the oldest buildings with dome. The Mosque of the Prophet (or Prophet’s Mosque) in Medina, is the second holiest mosque in Islam. It is the final resting place of Muhammad.

3. Saint Isaac Cathedral

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Another cathedral located in Russia with notable dome is the Saint Isaac’s Cathedral or Isaakievskiy Sobor is located in St. Petersburg. It is the largest cathedral in the city and was the largest church in Russia when it was built (101.5 meters high). It was dedicated to Saint Isaac of Dalmatia, a patron saint of Peter the Great who had been born on the feast day of that saint.

4. Saint Paul’s Cathedral

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One religious edifice found in Europe with a distinctive dome is St, Paul’s Cathedral in London. It was the inspiration for the US Capitol in Washington, which in turn inspired domes of most of the US state capitols. St Paul’s Cathedral is the Anglican cathedral on Ludgate Hill, in the London, and the seat of the Bishop of London.

5. Dome of the Rock

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One of the greatest architectural designs in the world with notable dome is the Dome of the Rock, an Islamic shrine and a major landmark located on the Haram al-Sharif in Jerusalem. It was completed in 691, making it the oldest extant Islamic building in the world. The Dome is in the shape of a Byzantine martyrium, a structure intended for the housing and veneration of saintly relics, and is an excellent example of middle Byzantine art. It was reported that surplus funds consisting of 100,000 gold dinar coins were melted down and cast on the dome’s exterior, “which at the time had a strong glitter that no eye could look straight at it.”

6. St. Basil’s Cathedral

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This religious edifice has one of the most notable domes in the world. The Cathedral of Intercession of the Virgin on the Moat (The Cathedral of the Protection of the Mother of God, or simply Pokrovskiy Cathedral); better known as the Cathedral of Saint Basil the Blessed , Saint Basil’s Cathedral  is a multi-tented church on the Red Square in Moscow that also features distinctive onion domes.

7. Pantheon

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The Pantheon is notable not only because it is the best preserved of all Roman buildings and perhaps the best preserved building of its age in the world but also because it is the oldest standing domed structure in 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 125 AD during Hadrian’s reign. It has been in continuous use throughout its history. The height to the oculus and the diameter of the interior circle are the same, 43.3 meters (142 ft).

8. St. Peter’s Basilica

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The dome of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome is remarkable because it is crowned by a double cylindrical cupola, or lantern, with a conical spire and was designed by Michelangelo. The dome was not completed until 1590. The Basilica of Saint Peter is in a “unique position” as one of the holiest sites and as “the greatest of all churches of Christendom”.

9. Hagia Sophia

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Hagia Sophia is popular for its massive dome. It is a former patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, now a museum located in Istanbul, Turkey. It was the largest cathedral ever built in the world for nearly a thousand years, until the completion of the Seville Cathedral in 1520.

10. Taj Mahal

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Taj Mahal’s white domed marble is its most familiar component. The Taj Mahal, a mausoleum is located in Agra, India, built by Muhal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Indian and Islamic architectural styles, especially those of Persia and Turkey. In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was cited as “the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world’s heritage.” Building began around 1632 and was completed around 1653, and employed thousands of artisans and craftsmen.

These architectural designs are all great and of great religious significance to mankind.

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