The dome of the church: the name and meaning. What color should the church cupola be?

Since ancient times, people needed thisan extraordinary place that could save them from adversity and trouble. Every person needed to know that he had somewhere to go. The church is the very place where people felt safe. They could share the most intimate secrets with her, "talk to God", telling him about their sins, and hoping that he will forgive them.

The importance of the church in people's lives

Every nation has its own particular faith, but inIn general, all people are divided into two categories: those who believe in God, and those who do not recognize his existence. The first group always had the opportunity to visit a religious building - the church. There, in the sacred temple, a person found peace and repented of serious sins, he sought forgiveness and indulgence, coziness and warmth within the walls of the building and found it. Each structure, as a rule, had a dome, the church it gives a particularly solemn appearance. It was made of the finest materials that glistened brightly in the sun and attracted the attention of all travelers. This remarkable creation of architects gave the sacred temple a magical meaning and a touch of magic. So, every wandering, tired on the road or lost way could visit the church and find help, warmth and God.

How did the dome come about?

The dome of the church is her main pride. The name of this unusual design comes from the Italian cupola and represents the bearing element of the coating. As a rule, the shape of the dome is similar to a hemisphere or parabola, an ellipse. With the help of this type of construction it is possible to cover huge rooms. The dome is placed over round and polygonal buildings.

History of the origin of domes

Today every person knows that the sacred templejust can not exist without stunning domes. But very few people know that they were invented and used in the prehistoric period, namely in the Nuragh or the monuments of Gaul. In addition, they could be seen in Etruscan crypts, pyramids. Of course, earlier the dome of the church, whose name did not exist for that period, was a completely different design. It was made of stones or brickwork. The structures could hang over each other and not pass the walls to horizontal forces.

Only when concrete was invented, buildershave learned to make correct and high-quality domes. This happened during the period of the Roman architectural revolution. The Romans built beautiful structures that covered huge spaces. At the same time, people did not use support. It was established that the oldest hemisphere was built in 128 AD.

Development of dome building

In the Renaissance, the period of the most acutedevelopment of cupola building. In the fifteenth to sixteenth centuries, such hemispheres were built in the cathedrals of Santa Maria del Fiore and St. Peter. These were truly divine designs made by true professionals. In Baroque times, the dome of the church was considered the largest building element.

Since the nineteenth century, steel domesto build not only in sacred temples, but also in state institutions. In ordinary houses there were also constructions of this type, but this was extremely rare. During this period, the golden domes of churches became unusually popular. In addition to the noble metal, other materials, such as glass and reinforced concrete, were also used. In the twentieth century, the use of hemispheres has become more popular several times. From this period, the domes were erected in sports facilities, spectacular structures and so on.

Variety of domes

Many are interested in what the dome of the church should be like. There are many types of designs, you can choose any one you like (if it does not contradict religious beliefs). So, the following types of this overlap are distinguished: belt, "bulb", oval, sailing, "saucer", polygonal, "umbrella". The first of them is considered the oldest and is practically not used nowadays. The oval dome came from the Baroque style, it is built in the form of an egg. The sailing design allows masters to depict arches that support the "sail". The square dome is fixed in four corners and as if blown from below. A variety of designs in the form of a saucer is considered the lowest. It is shallow, but today it is possible to meet many buildings with this kind of dome. The polygonal construction is based on a polygon. As for the umbrella "umbrella", it is divided into segments by so-called "ribs", which diverge from the center to the base.

Dome- "bulb"

The most common species is the "bulb". It has a convex shape, which gently tapers upward. This kind of dome is quite common in many countries. Among them, India, Russia, Turkey and the Middle East can be distinguished. Moreover, the dome-"bulb" is most often used in Orthodox sacred temples. It has a large diameter and is mounted on a "drum". Often the height of the structure exceeds its width.

It is believed that churches that have several domes,have a Russian origin. Therefore, examining such structures, people immediately associate them with Russia. Also the distinguishing feature of the Slavic builders is the size of the domes. They are much less Byzantine, and, as a rule, they are painted in bright colors. Most often, the designs are covered with gilding. In fact, it does not matter what color the dome of the church is. This is decided by the employees, but usually they are made bright, so that they stand out among other buildings, and they can always be found by the radiance.

What does the dome mean in the religion of different nations?

In the religion of each people there are distinctivefeatures, but practically in each of them there is a dome of the church. Its value is also different. For example, the construction for Christian and Muslim architecture is considered extremely important. Many Catholic, Orthodox and other churches, mosques and cathedrals are equipped with stunning domes. Some creeds give the construction a symbolic meaning. For the Orthodox - this is a sign of heaven, which is associated with God, the Kingdom of Heaven and the Angels.

We also note that the grandiose structureis considered a girdle dome, which was first built in 1250 BC in the Treasury of Atreus. Even then, the Greeks gave the design a sacred meaning. Then were built monumental domes in Italy. As is known, it was thanks to the Italians that the hemispheres began to develop so quickly and gain popularity. In addition, with their help, they spread throughout the world, striking the peoples of different countries with their luxury, solemnity and uniqueness.