List of largest domes


A dome is a self-supporting structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. This list excludes dome-shaped structures that are not self-supporting such as The O2 in London which is in diameter and supported by masts.
Every dome in the world which was the largest dome of its time is listed below. The defining criterion is in each case the inner diameter of the largest circular cross-section of the dome.

Worldwide

Below is a list of buildings that have held the title of the largest dome in the world.
Held recordDiameterNameLocationBuilderComment
1250 BC–
1st century BC
14.5 mTreasury of AtreusMycenae, GreeceCity state of MycenaeCorbel dome
1st century BC–
19 BC
21.5 mTemple of MercuryBaiae, ItalyRoman EmpireFirst monumental dome
19 BC–
beginning of the 2nd century
25.0 mBaths of Agrippa,
"Arco della Ciambella"
Rome, ItalyRoman EmpireFirst Thermae in Rome with a domed central building
Beginning of 2nd century–
128
30.0 mBaths of TrajanRome, ItalyRoman EmpireHalf dome
128–143643.4 mPantheonRome, ItalyRoman EmpireLargest unreinforced solid concrete dome in the world till present. Archetype of Western dome construction to this day
1436–187142.05 m Santa Maria del FioreFlorence, ItalyRoman Catholic Archdiocese of FlorenceLargest brick and mortar dome in the world till present. Octagonal dome. Architect Filippo Brunelleschi
1871–1913

Royal Albert HallLondon, England, United KingdomLucas BrothersWrought iron and glazed dome. Architects Captain Francis Fowke and Major-General Henry Y. D. Scott
1902–191361.0 mList of largest domes#cite note-West Baden Dome-22|West Baden Springs HotelWest Baden, Indiana, United StatesLee Wiley SinclairArchitect Harrison Albright
1913–193065.0 mCentennial HallWrocław, PolandDeutsches ReichReinforced concrete dome. Architect Max Berg
1930–195565.8 mLeipzig Market HallLeipzig, Saxony, GermanyReinforced concrete dome. Architect Franz Dischinger
1955–1957101.5 mBojangles' ColiseumCharlotte, North Carolina, United StatesThompson and StreetStructural Steel dome. Architect Odell and Associates
1957–1963109 mBelgrade Fair – Hall 1Belgrade, SerbiaBelgrade FairWorld's largest prestressed concrete dome
1963–1965121.9 mAssembly HallChampaign, Illinois, United StatesUniversity of Illinois at Urbana–ChampaignReinforced concrete dome. Architect Max Abramovitz
1965–1975195.5 m
AstrodomeHouston, Texas, United StatesH.A. Lott, Inc.First domed sports stadium in the world with more than 20,000 seats
1975–1992207.0 m
Louisiana SuperdomeNew Orleans, Louisiana, United StatesBlount InternationalStructural steel frame. Architect Nathaniel Curtis
1984-1985236.5 m
Istra domeIstra, Moscow region, Russia, Soviet UnionStructural steel frame. VNIIEM
1992–2001256.0 mGeorgia DomeAtlanta, Georgia, United StatesBrasfield & GorrieTensegrity structure
2001–2009274.0 mŌita StadiumŌita, JapanKisho KurokawaRetractable roof
2009–2013275.0 mCowboys StadiumArlington, Texas, United StatesHKS, Inc.Retractable roof
2013–present310.0 mSingapore National StadiumTanjong Rhu, Kallang, SingaporeDragagesRetractable roof; Architect – Arup Associates + DPA

By continent

Below is a list of buildings that have held the title of the largest dome on their continent.

Europe

In the first half of the 1980s a dome with a diameter of 234 metres was built near Istra, Russia. It collapsed on January 25, 1986 .
In 1990, the 129 m in diameter building named "Kupolen" was completed in Borlänge, Sweden. Originally an exposition hall with a few stores at ground level, today a mall in three levels.

North America

Held recordDiameterNameLocationBuilderComment
1864–186729.0 mUnited States CapitolWashington, D.C., United StatesUnited StatesArchitect Thomas U. Walter
1867–190246 mMormon TabernacleSalt Lake City, Utah, United StatesUnited StatesArchitect Henry Grow, Largely built without nails.
1902–195561.0 mWest Baden Springs HotelWest Baden, Indiana, United StatesLee Wiley SinclairArchitect Harrison Albright
1955–1963101.5 mCharlotte ColiseumCharlotte, North Carolina, United StatesThompson and StreetStructural Steel dome. Architect Odell and Associates
1963–1965121.9 mAssembly HallChampaign, Illinois, United StatesUniversity of Illinois at Urbana–ChampaignReinforced concrete dome. Architect Max Abramovitz
1965–1975195.5 m
AstrodomeHouston, Texas, United StatesH.A. Lott, Inc.First domed sports stadium in the world with more than 20,000 seats
1975–1992207 m
Louisiana SuperdomeNew Orleans, Louisiana, United StatesBlount InternationalStructural steel frame. Architect Nathaniel Curtis Largest completely enclosed Dome structure from 1975-1992 and again since 2017
1992–2009256.0 mGeorgia DomeAtlanta, Georgia, United StatesGeorgia World Congress Center AuthorityTensegrity structure, was largest completely enclosed dome structure from 1992-2017.
2009–present275.0 mAT&T StadiumArlington, Texas, United StatesHKS, Inc.Retractable roof

South America

Asia

Africa

Australia

By structure

Below is a list of buildings that have held the title of the largest dome in terms of their structure.

Stone

Concrete

Masonry

Clay hollowware

Wood

Cast iron

Wrought iron

Steel

Reinforced concrete

Famous large domes

Below is a list of large domes which are considered particularly important for various reasons but have never held the title of the largest dome in the world.
Completion dateDiameterNameLocationBuilderComment
c. 6413.48 mDomus AureaRome, ItalyRoman EmpireFirst dome with a polygonal ground plan. First in palace architecture
56331.87 mHagia SophiaIstanbul, TurkeyEastern Roman EmpireFirst pendentive dome in history. First completed in 537, rebuilt in 563 after earthquake. Architects Anthemius of Tralles and Isidore of Miletus
122721.0 m long
16.9 m wide
St. Gereon's BasilicaCologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, GermanyBishop or city?Oval shape. Largest occidental dome built between Hagia Sophia and the Duomo
140518.2 mMausoleum of Khoja Ahmed YasaviTürkistan, KazakhstanTamerlaneDouble dome
155727.2 mSüleymaniye MosqueIstanbul, TurkeyOttoman EmpireArchitect Mimar Sinan
157531.25 mSelimiye MosqueEdirne, TurkeyOttoman EmpireArchitect Mimar Sinan
162642.3mSt Peter's BasilicaRome, ItalyHoly SeeArchitect Michelangelo Buonarroti; Worlds Tallest dome till 1990 and tallest dome interior at present; Two Layer Dome
164117.7 mTaj MahalAgra, IndiaMughal Empire
171030.8 mSt. Paul's CathedralLondon, England, United KingdomChristopher WrenDouble dome. The two domes are separated by a cone over the top of the inner which helps support the outer
173237.15 m
24.80m
Sanctuary of VicoforteVicoforte, Piemonte, ItalyHouse of SavoyLargest elliptic dome in the world. Architects Ascanio Vitozzi and Francesco Gallo.
178136.0 mSt. Blaise's AbbeySt. Blaise, Baden-Württemberg, GermanyPierre Michel d'IxnardThird-widest dome in Europe at the time of its construction
1871Mosta DomeMosta, MaltaGiorgio Grognet de VasséThird-largest unsupported dome in the world
189431.0 mMarble ChurchCopenhagen, DenmarkFrederick VBuilt from 1749 to 1894 by three different architects, with no construction done from 1770 to 1877
190415.24 mRhode Island State HouseProvidence, Rhode Island, United StatesFourth-largest unsupported marble dome in the world.
194461.0 mV-2 Bunker La CoupoleWizernes, FranceNazi GermanyReinforced concrete dome, 5m thick
195227 mRotunda of XewkijaXewkija, Gozo, MaltaThe Architect is Joseph D'Amato. The dome is 75 m high. Its calculated weight is 45,000 tons. The circumference is 85 m.
1960108.0 mAraneta ColiseumQuezon City, PhilippinesJ. Amado AranetaAlso known as the Big Dome, it opened as the world's biggest indoor venue in 1960.
198851.8 mSultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz MosqueShah Alam, Selangor, MalaysiaBiggest mosque in Malaysia, second biggest in South East Asia. Also known as Blue Mosque. Can accommodate up to 16,000 worshippers
200521.3 mLong Island Green DomeBaiting Hollow, New York, United StatesKevin Michael SheaLargest residential wood geodesic dome in North America. It is a home and attraction site advocating sustainable living.
200978 mMedgidia clinker storage facilityMedgidia, Romania--
201849.68 mWorld Parliament of Science, Religion & PhilosophyVishwarajbaug, Loni kalbhor Pune, Indiathisan
savio
India's largest free standing Reinforced Concrete Dome