# DISCUSS: Best Domed Building



## Federicoft (Sep 26, 2005)

^^
For the record, it was the first dome ever built.


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## Pincio (May 30, 2007)

Federicoft said:


> ^^
> For the record, it was the first dome ever built.


And the biggest one.


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## Pincio (May 30, 2007)

BTW I prefer the "*Cuppolone*"


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## Alargule (Feb 21, 2005)

disturbanist said:


> Pantheon hands down.
> 
> It's not even a contest.


Agreed. Just the thought that they already had the knowledge and materials 2000 years ago to build this structure, let alone the fact that it has survived in pristine condition until this very day, is mind-boggling already.


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## balthazar (Jul 19, 2007)

how many great pics!
some different kind of dome:
Stupinigi- Torino








palazzetto dello sport-roma

















(not so great but interesting, for me)


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## balthazar (Jul 19, 2007)

i think are really beautiful domes of persian and islamic central asian building, has anyone pics of them?


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## Mahratta (Feb 18, 2007)

Pincio said:


> And the biggest one.


Actually, the Haghia Sophia has the largest dome in the world, followed by the Gol Gumbaz.


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## yusef (May 20, 2006)

del


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## yusef (May 20, 2006)

Taj Mahal, India


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## yusef (May 20, 2006)

Sultan Ahmed Mosque also know as the Blue Mosque, Turkey


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## Pincio (May 30, 2007)

Mahratta said:


> Actually, the Haghia Sophia has the largest dome in the world, followed by the Gol Gumbaz.


I mean the largest one.

Pantheon diameter: 43.4 metres
Florence Cathedral diameter: 42 metres
St. Peter Basilica diameter: 41.47 metres

Gol Gumbaz diameter: 37 metres
Hagia Soph diameter: 31.24 metres

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_world's_largest_domes


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## Federicoft (Sep 26, 2005)

Mahratta said:


> Actually, the Haghia Sophia has the largest dome in the world, followed by the Gol Gumbaz.


Nope.
Hagia Sophia: 31 meters in diameter.
Pantheon: 43 meters in diameter.

Edit: Pincho was faster.


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## yusef (May 20, 2006)

Mosque Emir Abdelkader, Algeria


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## balthazar (Jul 19, 2007)

taj mahal and blue mosque are always fantastic in every details, excellent pics!
Nice the algerian mosque, It's structure looks more a christian church, strange.


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## bagak (Feb 26, 2009)

Pincio said:


> I mean the largest one.
> 
> Pantheon diameter: 43.4 metres
> Florence Cathedral diameter: 42 metres
> ...




So it means Istiglal Mosque in Jakarta has the largest dome, since it has 45 m diameter, representing the year of Indonesian Independence's year 1945.


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## Pincio (May 30, 2007)

bagak said:


> So it means Istiglal Mosque in Jakarta has the largest dome, since it has 45 m diameter, representing the year of Indonesian Independence's year 1945.


New Georgia Dome (1992)

diameter: 256 metres
Tensegrity structure











Louisiana Superdome (1975)

diameter: 207 metres
Structural steel frame.


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## yusef (May 20, 2006)

balthazar said:


> taj mahal and blue mosque are always fantastic in every details, excellent pics!
> Nice the algerian mosque, It's structure looks more a christian church, strange.


Taj Mahal is my favorite building hands down, just wish there were more interior shots around.


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## macpro (May 1, 2009)

Pincio said:


> New Georgia Dome (1992)
> 
> diameter: 256 metres
> Tensegrity structure




Damn that's the ugliest dome i ever seen.....:nuts:


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## luci203 (Apr 28, 2008)

^^ I don't think stadiums and expo centers should be included... hno:
*
Palace of Parliment, Bucharest.*

While it have a _"small"_ 42m dome, the sheer size of the building make it look insignificant.












































:cheers:


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## Pincio (May 30, 2007)

macpro said:


> Damn that's the ugliest dome i ever seen.....:nuts:


True :lol:


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## Pincio (May 30, 2007)

Modern domes are built in reinforced concrete or structural steel frame, the ancient ones was built in stone. Pantheon dome is the largest unreinforced solid concrete dome in the world till present.


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## Mojojojo. (Nov 22, 2006)

Lahore: Badshahi Mosque





















Entrance gate


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## skyscraper100 (Oct 22, 2007)

dome of the rock









from:http://www.travelblog.org/Photos/759564.html









from:http://www.samrohn.com/360-panorama/dome-of-the-rock-jerusalem


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## yusef (May 20, 2006)

Sheikh Zayed Mosque, UAE


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## bagak (Feb 26, 2009)

^^ Holley Molley, that's simply amazing.....


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## Mojojojo. (Nov 22, 2006)

I would love to say a prayer in this mosque..... simply amazing interior


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## Maxximus (Apr 27, 2009)

*Synagogue in Florence, Italy*


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## yusef (May 20, 2006)

Mojojojo. said:


> I would love to say a prayer in this mosque..... simply amazing interior


It is an amazing structure and thus far under appreciated by most, It has only been a short since it was constructed, hopefully it will get the recognition it deserves.


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## luci203 (Apr 28, 2008)

yusef said:


> It is an amazing structure and thus far under appreciated by most, It has only been a short since it was constructed, hopefully it will get the recognition it deserves.


Unlike Malls, Hotels and other "stuff" religious buildings, the older they are, the most famous they are. Although it is illegal for non-Muslims to enter mosques in the United Arab Emirates, this mosque will be an exception. The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority announced that tours of the mosques will be given to both Muslims and non-Muslims beginning in mid-March 2008 in order to promote cultural and religious understanding.










The Mausoleum of the Samanids, Bukhara, Uzbekistan, ca. 914-43.


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## dancle (Jan 7, 2009)

Hey I thought I would bring some contesters from Scandinavia: 

The Stockholm Globe, this thread wouldn't be complete without it: 




























The Copenhagen Marble Church:


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## balthazar (Jul 19, 2007)

Santa Maria della Steccata, Parma (Italy)
photos from flickr


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## balthazar (Jul 19, 2007)

Montepulciano, near Siena, Italy
S.Biagio


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## balthazar (Jul 19, 2007)

if you have never been in Venice,
San Simeone Piccolo is one of the first things you can see arriving by train...
(but now it's half hide cause restoration)


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## nx_2000 (Nov 20, 2007)

St. Peter's Basilica










My local favorite, the Louisiana Superdome. They are currently replacing the aluminum cladding... should look awesome when completed.


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## yusef (May 20, 2006)

Emirates Palace, UAE


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## Skyprince (May 2, 2006)

wjfox said:


> Taj Mahal will surely win this.
> 
> It's difficult to imagine a more beautiful looking building.



Hmm... how about this building ? 

Shah Alam masjid.
pics by me


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## yusef (May 20, 2006)

That's a beautiful Masjid Skyprince, do you have anymore pics of it?


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## _00_deathscar (Mar 16, 2005)

Skyprince said:


> Hmm... how about this building ?


Do you HONESTLY believe that is more impressive than the Taj Mahal?


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## skyscraper100 (Oct 22, 2007)

Dôme des Invalides, paris


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## balthazar (Jul 19, 2007)

Saint Petersburg, Russia...
Smolny Cathedral (By Italian architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli)


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## ludometz (Dec 28, 2008)

or the golden dome of the invalides?


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## balthazar (Jul 19, 2007)

an interesting italian domed building, not too known outside italy, i think. "San Gaudenzio" church, Novara



























photos from web


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## balthazar (Jul 19, 2007)

Modica, Sicily.
San Giorgio cathedral

















photos from the web


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## balthazar (Jul 19, 2007)

the Sindone Chapel, Turin.

















photos from the web.


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## balthazar (Jul 19, 2007)

another one
Colleoni chapel, Bergamo (italy)

















photos from the web


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## balthazar (Jul 19, 2007)

St Stephen's. Budapest, Hungary.


























Phtos from wikipedia


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## balthazar (Jul 19, 2007)

St Blasien. Germany.


















photos from wikipedia


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## balthazar (Jul 19, 2007)

Kizhi island, on lake Onega, Russia
Transiguration church (whit 22 domes, it's made up entirely of wood)


























photos from wikipedia


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## vittorio tauber (Jul 30, 2008)

*Church of San Francesco di Paola, Naples, Italy*

Perhaps the finest building ever designed after the Pantheon's prototype.



























http://www.flickr.com/photos/porco_rosso/3550737455/


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## Phobos (Sep 14, 2003)

*City Hall - Belfast*












*Victoria Terminus Railway Station - Mumbai *









Flickr


*Parliament Building - Budapest*


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## yashchauhan (Jun 19, 2009)

NOne better than this won...winner of all time!


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## balthazar (Jul 19, 2007)

Another notable church
Karlskirche. Wien.








http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulmalon/3683637288/sizes/l/









http://www.flickr.com/photos/lamouroux/4666198188/sizes/m/


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## balthazar (Jul 19, 2007)

San Pietro in Montorio temple. Rome.








http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/3563600591/sizes/m/









http://www.flickr.com/photos/canecrabe/4747537841/sizes/m/









http://www.flickr.com/photos/bramhall/4289908403/sizes/m/


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## balthazar (Jul 19, 2007)

Padova (Italy). Basilica di Sant' Antonio.

















http://www.flickr.com/photos/cascotie/3530484905/









http://www.flickr.com/photos/copetan/2248313691/sizes/m/


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## balthazar (Jul 19, 2007)

Pisa (Italy). Baptistry









http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinomoscato/3994705963/sizes/l/









http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/2888022929/


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## balthazar (Jul 19, 2007)

Gol Gumbaz mausoleum, India.

GolGumbaz2 [Public domain], by Ashwatham at en.wikipedia, from Wikimedia Commons


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## manon (Jan 8, 2011)

Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet) from Istanbul


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## alexandru.mircea (May 18, 2011)

This is easy: Saint Sophia (Constantinopole) and the Pantheon (Rome).


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## Clone (May 19, 2010)

Central station in antwerp, first and only building that ever gave me fear of heights when standing on the ground.


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## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

^^ Very impressive Antwerp building!


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## tonttula (Nov 8, 2010)

Probably nothing new, not seen in this thread already, but can't help it.








St. Peters 








Scale and the history is enough to make it my favorite. Have been 3 times in Rome and visited St Peters everytime.


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## I.H.U (Oct 6, 2012)




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## I.H.U (Oct 6, 2012)

It's AEGON center. :cheers:


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## Kira_ (Oct 29, 2012)

*Norfolk Scope*








*Zoo in Nebraska*


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## LouDagreat (Jan 30, 2013)

The U.S Capitol Building is the best domed building in the U.S, and top 5 in the World. Its architecture is simply splendid. It has just the right dimensions. Not too tall, not too wide, just right. The columns, the leafing design, the 4 level wedding cake design. 

But I think its symbolism may be more important than its design. I think no other dome in the world can conjure up such varied emotions across the political spectrum and in global politics. From patriotism, protest, hate, cynicism and hope in the prospects of progress through democracy. The politics that go through this building, the debates, the policies, the Presidential State of the Union speeches, carries a lot of weight that reverberates through the social, economic and political fabric of American life. To foreigners it may represent the successes of American leadership, to some it represents quite the opposite; the failures, setbacks and abuses of American power. In all I think the Capitol Dome captures all the glory and tribulations of democracy.


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## Samolymp (Dec 27, 2012)

Berliner Dom, Berlin :

Reichstag, Berlin :


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## Abinash89 (Mar 2, 2012)

Umaid Bhavan palace,Jodhpur,India


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## Abinash89 (Mar 2, 2012)

Humayun tomb,New Delhi,India


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