The New Student's Reference Work/Dome

Dome is usually understood to imply a round roof like an inverted bowl, though the shape is not always that of a bowl. Most of the great domes have an opening or eye at the top, on which stands a little dome, called a lantern. Until recent times they were always built of masonry — stone, brick or tiles — but wood is now often used, as in St. Paul’s cathedral in London. The domes of St. Peter’s at Rome and of the Florence cathedral are built of stone. The finest dome in America is that of the capitol at Washington. It is made of cast-iron, and has a statue of Liberty at the top. Many consider it superior to the dome of St. Peter’s.