Onion dome
An onion dome is a specific type of roof that resembles the bulbous form of an onion. Such domes are often larger in diameter than the tholobate or drum upon which they sit. Their height usually exceeds their width, creating a distinct silhouette against the sky. They taper smoothly upwards to a single point rather than forming a perfect hemisphere. This geometry distinguishes them from other Eastern Orthodox cupolas like helmet domes found on the Dormition Cathedral in Vladimir. Ukrainian pear domes appear at St Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, while Baroque bud domes grace St Andrew's Church in Kyiv. Some structures combine these forms into an onion-helmet mixture seen at the St Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod.
Historian Wolfgang Born traces the origin of this architectural feature to Syria. Umayyad Caliphate-era mosaics depict early stages of the development of bulbous domes there. An early prototype appeared in Chehel Dokhter during the mid-11th century. This structure belongs to Seljuk architecture located in the Damghan region of Iran. These historical records suggest the design existed long before it became synonymous with Russian churches. The shape persisted in other Eastern European countries and occasionally appeared in Western Europe. Buildings featuring these domes also exist in Oriental regions of Central and South Asia. They can be found throughout the Middle East as well.
Buildings featuring onion domes appeared in Russia as early as the 13th century. Their popularity reached a peak by the 17th and 18th centuries up until the Petrine period. The largest onion domes of that time were erected in areas around Yaroslavl. A number of these had more complicated bud-shaped domes derived from Baroque models of the late seventeenth century. Some scholars suggest they first appeared during the reign of Ivan the Terrible. The domes of Saint Basil's Cathedral have not been altered since the reign of his son Fyodor I. Thus indicating their presence in sixteenth-century Russia. Boris Rybakov analyzed Russian chronicles in 1946 and concluded most featured onion domes instead of helmet shapes from the 13th century onward. Sergey Zagraevsky surveyed icons dating as early as the 11th century and found most painted after the Mongol invasion displayed only onion domes. The first onion domes appeared on some pictures from the 12th century.
Prior to the eighteenth century, the Russian Orthodox Church did not assign any particular symbolism to the exterior shape of a church. Nevertheless, onion domes are popularly believed to symbolise burning candles. In 1917, religious philosopher Prince Evgenii Troubetzkoy argued that the onion shape may not be explained rationally. He claimed drums crowned by tapering domes were deliberately scored to resemble candles. Another explanation suggests the form was originally regarded as reminiscent of the aedicula in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The present structure dates back to 12th-century construction by the Crusaders. Some scholars link the onion-shaped form with the weight of traditional Russian crosses which are much larger than those used in Byzantium. Such ponderous crosses would have been easily toppled if they had not been fixed to sizeable stones inside elongated domes.
Baroque domes shaped like an onion became common in the Holy Roman Empire during the 16th and 17th centuries. The first one was built in 1576 by the architect Johannes Holl on the church of the Convent of the Franciscan Sisters of Maria Stern in Augsburg. Usually made of copper sheet, these domes appear on Catholic churches all over southern Germany. They also grace Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Sardinia, and Northeast Italy. Islamic influence in the 17th century may be responsible for its introduction in Vienna. It can be seen on many Baroque structures there. Throughout Austria and Bavaria, onion domes top innumerable small churches. The shape remained a favorite of 20th-century Austrian architectural designer Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Moors brought the design to Spain before it spread further north into Central Europe.
The onion dome was used extensively in Mughal architecture which later influenced Indo-Saracenic architecture. It is also a common feature in Sikh architecture particularly within Gurudwaras. Sometimes it appears in Rajput architecture as well. Outside the Indian subcontinent, the shape is used in Iran and other places in the Middle East and Central Asia. At the end of the 19th century, the Dutch-built Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in Aceh incorporated an onion-shaped dome. The shape has been used in numerous mosques in Indonesia since then. Wooden churches in Kizhi and Vytegra have as many as twenty-five onion domes. The World's Only Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota features onion domes on the roof of the structure.
Common questions
What is an onion dome and how does it differ from other domes?
An onion dome is a specific type of roof that resembles the bulbous form of an onion. This geometry distinguishes them from other Eastern Orthodox cupolas like helmet domes found on the Dormition Cathedral in Vladimir.
Where did the onion dome originate according to historian Wolfgang Born?
Historian Wolfgang Born traces the origin of this architectural feature to Syria. Umayyad Caliphate-era mosaics depict early stages of the development of bulbous domes there.
When did buildings featuring onion domes first appear in Russia?
Buildings featuring onion domes appeared in Russia as early as the 13th century. The domes of Saint Basil's Cathedral have not been altered since the reign of his son Fyodor I, indicating their presence in sixteenth-century Russia.
Who built the first Baroque onion dome in the Holy Roman Empire?
The first one was built in 1576 by the architect Johannes Holl on the church of the Convent of the Franciscan Sisters of Maria Stern in Augsburg. Usually made of copper sheet, these domes appear on Catholic churches all over southern Germany.
Which religious structures commonly use onion domes outside India and Russia?
The onion dome is used extensively in Mughal architecture which later influenced Indo-Saracenic architecture. It is also a common feature in Sikh architecture particularly within Gurudwaras and appears in numerous mosques in Indonesia.