11 



DOME. 



DOM 



611 



means eight supports are obtained tnttaad of four, and the corbelling* 

 <k> nut project too much. M in other aimiUr constructions. The cor- 

 belling, gather in cireU.. the diameter of which u 101 feet 4 inchiM, 

 the octagon baw being 1 07 feet. The carbrllings are nunnounUxl by a 

 compUte entablature, 8 fee* S inch*, high, decorated with consoles. 

 .rum U Mt back 3 feet J| inches from the bee of the frieze, and 

 this intermediate space U occupied by two (tops and a teat. The cor- 

 nice U S feet 9 J inches from Uu- pavement The height of the drum 

 from the tup of the Mat u 63 feet 6J inches to the springing of the 

 internal dome. The wall forming the drum U inclined internally 

 4 feet 11| inches, or about the 12th part of iu height Thi wu 

 rtestgnurl by the architect to inereaM the resistance of the walls to the 

 united preMure of the Urge internal vault and the conical dome which 

 carrie* the lantern. 



The interior of the drum U decorated with a continuous stylobate, 

 on which U an order of Corinthian pilasters. The 32 spaces between 

 UM pilasters are filled with 24 windows and 8 large niches. Exter- 

 nally the drum U decorated with an order of 32 Corinthian columns 

 engaged, which are united to the wall of the drum by eight solid con- 

 struction* in masonry. In each space between the constructions there 

 are three intercolumnations, the columns being joined at their bases by 

 walls pierced with arches. The external colonnade is surmounted by 

 an entablature, with a mutuled cornice, on which is a balustrade ; bo- 

 hind this ia a terrace, formed by the recessing back. The attic U 'Z'2 feet 

 41 inches high from the top of the balustrade to the under side of the 

 cornice of the attic. Above the internal order of the drum rises the 

 interior dome, the diameter of which at the springing is 102 feet 

 2] inches by 51 feet in height. The top of the dome has a circular 

 opening 14 feet 10] inches in diameter. 



Above the attic are two steps, from which the external dome springs. 

 The external dome is constructed of wood, covered with lead, atid 

 decorated with projecting ribs forming panels, curved at the ends. 

 This dome terminates with a finishing which joins the base of the 

 lantern : the circular gallery formed on the finishing is 274 feet 9 inches 

 above the pavement of the nave. The lantern is supported on a conical 

 tower, terminated by a spherical dome. This tower, which is joined 

 to the intern U dome at its base, disengages itself from it at the height 

 of 8 feet 6 inches above the springing of the same. The perpendicular 

 height of this tower is 86 feet 9 inches, and the walk are inclined 

 24 degrees from the perpendicular. The diameter of the base is 

 100 feet 1 inch measured externally, and 34 feet 1 inch at the spring- 

 ing of the spherical dome which finishes it. The wall of this tower ia 

 built of brick, and is 1 foot 7 inches thick, with circular rings of 

 masonry, fastened with iron bands. The spherical dome at the top of 

 the tower has an opening 8 feet in diameter at the summit. Between 

 the attic and the wall of the tower are 32 walla or buttresses, which 

 also serve to bear the ribs of the wooden external dome. 



About the same time that Wren built the dome of St. Paul's, 

 Hanlouin Hansard, a French architect, constructed the dome of the 

 Inv.ilides at Paris. The plan of this dome is a square, in which ia 

 inscribed a Greek cross ; in the angles of the square there are four 

 chapels. The dome is raised in the centre of the Greek cross ; the 

 base supporting it is an octagonal figure, with four large and four 

 small sides. The four small sides form the faces of the piers of the 

 dome ; the large sides are the arched openings of the nave and trans- 

 Terse aisles. A circular entablature is placed over the corbellings, and 

 on the entablature is raised the drum of the dome, the diameter of 

 which is 7'J feet 9) inches. The interior of the drum is decorated with 

 a continuous stylobate, above which are coupled pilasters of the com- 

 posite order, and the wall is pierced with 12 windows. The dome, 

 which is double, rises from a swinging common to both. The lower or 

 internal dome, constructed with masonry, is spherical, and is 83 feet in 

 diameter, with on opening or eye at the top 53 feet 3 inches in diameter, 

 through which part of the outer dome can be seen. The outer dome 

 is of a spheroidal form, and constructed of stone at the base and of 

 brick above. Externally the dome is formed with a sty lobute, on which 

 is a Corinthian order of columns, over which is an attic with pilasters, 

 an<l buttresses in the form of consoles. The drum is fortified exter- 

 nally by eight projections, placed two and two above each pier of the 

 The external dome is framed of wood and covered with lead, 

 like St. Paul's, London, but the construction is much heavier. The 

 external diameter of the dome is 85 feet 4 inches, and its height is 

 67 feet 2| inches. The finishing of the dome is decorated with con- 

 soles, on which is formed a circular balcony round the base of the 

 lantern, constructed of wood, which is 39 feet 4} inches high ; the 

 lantern above it, with the cross, is 35 feet 4] inches high. The total 

 height from the ground is 330 feet. 



The dome of the Pantheon at Paris is constructed entirely of stone, 

 and U placixl in the centre of a Greek cross. It is supported by four 

 triangular piers strengthened by engaged columns of the Corinthian 

 order. The four piers with the lines of the intermediate arches form 

 externally a Urge square, each side of which is 74 feet 9 inches. 



Theae four piers are pierced above with arched openings, and between 

 the piers with the openings are large arches, the diameter of which is 

 44 feet 11| inches, and the height 85 feet 5 inches. Between these 

 arches rise the oorbellings, which are gathered in to form the circular 



Cof the drum. The arches and the corbellings are crowned with a 

 entablature 13 feet 4 inches high. The up|x>r part of the cm-nice 



of the entablature U raised 101 feet above the pavement of the nave. 

 The diameter taken at the frieze U 64 feet The internal drum which 

 U constructed on this entablature is 55 feet 7( inches in height to the 

 springing of the internal dome. The interior of this drum is decorated 

 with s continuous stylotuto, which is the basement of a colonnade of 

 14 Corinthian columns almost isolated from the wall. Theae columns 

 are 35 feet 2] inches in height. Between the columns are 16 windows, 

 four of which are false, and placed above the four piers of the dome. 

 The colonnade is crowned with an entabUture, above which is a large 

 plinth which rises to the springing of the internal dome. The internal 

 dome is 66 feet 8| inches in diameter at the springing, and is decorated 

 with octagonal caissons or sinkings with a rose In the centre of each. 

 The eye at the top of the dome is 81 feet 3| inches in diameter. 

 Through this eye is seen the upper part of another or intermediate 

 dome. The external dome is placed on a circular base 108 feet 7 inches 

 in diameter and square at the bottom. The angles are strengthened 

 )>y flying buttresses. Above the corbellings a circular wall is con- 

 structed, forming an external continuous stylobato which supports an 

 external colonnade. The external colonnade constructed on the stylo- 

 bate forms a peristyle round the dome, and is composed of 32 isolated 

 columns of the Corinthian order 36 feet 5} inches high. This colon- 

 nade is divided into four parts by the solid constructions in masonry 

 raised over the four piers. The external colonnade is surmounted with 

 an entablature and balustrade above it. There is an attic constructed 

 above the circular wall of the drum, set back 13 feet 10 inches, and 

 pierced with 16 windows, 12 of which light the space between the 

 internal dome and the intermediate dome which bears the lantern. 

 This attic is terminated with a c <rnice with a step or plinth above. 

 The external dome, 77 feet 8f inches in diameter, measured on the 

 outside, is constructed with masonry ; the height is 45 feet 9J inches 

 from the top of the attic to the underside of the finishing against 

 which the curve terminates. The outside of the dome is covered with 

 lead, and is equally divided vertically by 16 projecting ribs. Tlie 

 intermediate dome, built for the purpose of carrying the lantern, was 

 intended to be decorated with subjects by the painter, and we believe 

 it has since been decorated. The form of this dome resembles the 

 small end of an egg : its springing commences at the base of the attic 

 at the point where the internal dome begins to disengage itself. This 

 dome is 60 feet J inch high, and 70 feet 8| inches iu diameter, and is 

 pierced with four great openings at the lower part 37 feet 8 inches 

 high, and 30 feet 104 inches wide at the base. On a circular platform 

 above the summit of the dome are eight piers with arches, which sup- 

 port the finishing against which the external dome terminates. Above 

 this is the lantern of the dome. 



Very full details of the most remarkable domes in Europe are given 

 in the ' Encyclopedic McSthodique ' (article Architecture ), from which 

 this brief notice is in a great measure taken. For an account of the 

 construction of wooden-ribbed domes, see Nicholson's ' Architectural 

 Dictionary ;' also the section of the Pantheon dome by Taylor and 

 Cressy ; also the work on St. Peter's, by Fon tana. The dome of the 

 Reading Room of the British Museum is described in the article 

 BRITISH MCSKUM. 



The following admeasurements of most of the principal domes of 

 Europe are chiefly from Mr. Ware's ' Tracts on Vaults and Bridges ' : 



DOMES of AXTIQUTY. 



externally. 



Dome of the Pantheon . . . . .142 

 Minerva Medica at Rome . . . 78 

 Baths of Caracalla . . . .112 

 Baths of Diocletian . . . . 74 



Temple of Mercury 68 



Diana 98 



Apollo 120 



Proserpine and Venus . . . 87 



DOMES OP COMPARATIVELY MODERN TlMES. 



Feet In ilia- Height from 

 meter taken the ground 



Santa Sophia at Constantinople 

 Mosque of Achmet, ditto . 

 San. Vitalc at Ravenna . 

 Baptistery at Nocera del Pagani 

 San Marco at Venice 



115 

 92 

 55 

 60 

 44 



hnr. 

 143 



97 

 116 



83 



78 



n 



201 



120 



91 



FROM THE TIME OF BBUNKLLESCUI TO TUE PRI:SEXT Pt:iin>u. 



Santa Maria del Fiore at Florence . . . 189 810 



The Chapel of the Medici .... 91 199 



Baptistery at Florence 86 110 



Cathedral of St. Peter at Rome . . .139 830 



Church of the Madonna della Salute at Venice 70 138 



Supcrga at Turin .... 64 128 



Invalides at Paris ... 80 173 



Val de Grace, Paris . . . 55 133 



Sorbonne, Paris ... 40 110 



Pantheon, or St. GWndvieve, Paris . . . 67 180 



Cathedral of St. Paul's, London . . .112 215 



Reading Room of British Museum . . . 140 106 



