About the Book
Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 246. Chapters: Dome, Copper in architecture, Mosaic, Sundial, Fountain, Plasterwork, Lighting, Stairs, Wrought iron, Fleur-de-lis, Glossary of architecture, Flat roof, Rood screen, Window, Truss, Iconostasis, Cast iron, Observation deck, Architectural glass, Chimney, Column, Shed, Solar chimney, Dry stone, Coade stone, Templon, Trompe-l' il, Dedicated outdoor air system, Cornerstone, Deconstruction (building), Awning, Cantilever, Onion dome, Lighting for the elderly, Capital (architecture), Ornament (art), Minaret, Molding (decorative), Tiffany glass, Roof garden, Aisle, Baluster, Mansard roof, Ablaq, Outline of classical architecture, Grotto, Caryatid, Architectural lighting design, Corbel, Spire, Bird bath, Baldachin, Windcatcher, Movable seating, Light fixture, Emergency exit, Courtyard, Articulation (architecture). Excerpt: A dome is an element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory. Corbel domes and true domes have been found in the ancient Middle East in modest buildings and tombs. The construction of the first technically advanced true domes began in the Roman Architectural Revolution, when they were frequently used by the Romans to shape large interior spaces of temples and public buildings, such as the Pantheon. This tradition continued unabated after the adoption of Christianity in the Byzantine (East Roman) religious and secular architecture, culminating in the revolutionary pendentive dome of the 6th century church Hagia Sophia. Squinches, the technique of making a transition from a square shaped room to a circular dome, was most likely invented by the ancient Persians. The Sassanid Empire initiated the construction of the first large-scale domes in Persia, with such royal buildings as the Palace of Ardashir, Sarvestan and Ghal'eh Dokhtar. With the Muslim conquest of Greek-Roman Syria, the Byzantine architectural style became a major influence on Muslim societies. Indeed the use of domes as a feature of Islamic architecture has gotten its roots from Roman Greater-Syria (see Dome of the Rock). An original tradition of using multiple domes was developed in the church architecture in Russia, which had adopted Orthodox Christianity from Byzantium. Russian domes are often gilded or brightly painted, and typically have a carcass and an outer shell made of wood or metal. The onion dome became another distinctive feature in the Russian architecture, often in combination with the tented roof. Domes in Western Europe became popular again during the Renaissance period, reaching a zenith in popularity during the early 18th century Baroque period. Reminiscent of the Roman senate, during the 19th century they became a feature of grand civic architecture. As a domes
