Drawings of the dome of the rotunda. Spherical (dome) houses: designs, layout features

Spherical, domed dwellings have been known for a long time - yarangas, plagues, wigwams, etc. - built on this principle. They are distinguished by high stability and ease of construction, which earned the popularity of our ancestors. But domed houses in their pure form, as a phenomenon of modern construction, appeared not so long ago - approximately in the second half of the last century. When the American scientist Fuller decomposed the dome structure into simple figures - triangles, from which the entire structure is often assembled. It is on this principle that many spherical houses are built today.

Dome houses: technologies and their features

A domed or spherical house is the name of one building technology. Actually, the name reflects the peculiarity of this type of housing construction - the house is not rectangular, but is made in the form of a hemisphere. Or rather - in the form of a polyhedron, approaching in appearance to the sphere.

This form better withstands wind and snow loads, with an equal building spot with a rectangular one, it has more usable area. But in such a house there is hardly at least one rectangular or square room. At least one side will be uneven. This complicates the layout, decoration, selection and installation of furniture. Most likely, all or most of the furnishings will have to be made “to order”, according to your own sizes and sketches.

Domed houses are being built, mainly using frame technology, so that the construction is easy. The frame is assembled from timber or metal pipes, sheathed with sheet building material (plywood, OSB). Insulation is laid between the racks of the frame (polystyrene foam, mineral wool, foam glass, ecological materials such as jute, dried algae, etc.). That is, apart from an unusual shape, there is no news, the materials are selected as for an ordinary frame house.

There are domed houses made of monolithic reinforced concrete. But this technology is used infrequently, especially in our country, where lumber is sometimes cheaper. If we also take into account the need for good thermal insulation of a concrete dome, its unpopularity becomes clear.

With the frames of domed houses, not everything is so simple. There are two technologies by which they are collected: geodesic and stratodesic dome. They have their own characteristics that can influence your choice.

geodesic dome

The dome is divided into triangles, from which the polyhedron is assembled. A feature of this technology is that a large number of beams converge at one point. To ensure their reliable fixation, connectors are used - special steel devices that allow you to securely connect the elements of the supporting structure. Each of the connectors costs from 600 to 1500 rubles ($10-25).

A geodesic dome for a spherical house is built on the basis of triangles

Despite the fact that the number of connectors is in the tens or even hundreds, their presence greatly affects the cost of construction. Those who plan to build a domed house with their own hands try to do without connectors or make them on their own too. The reasons are clear, but with insufficient strength of the connection, the building may collapse under load. So with savings on this site, you must be very, very careful.

By the way, when using wooden beams there is a connectorless technology, but the assembly of such units requires a high level of carpentry skill and precise execution. And one more thing: they are not as reliable as connections with metal connectors.

The advantage of this type of frame is its stable construction. With the destruction of 35% of the elements, the dome is not destroyed. This has been tested in seismically active regions, during hurricanes. This stability makes it easy to remove a certain number of jumpers. That is, an opening under the door, windows can be made anywhere, almost any size. The only thing to consider is that the windows will be triangular. In this design, there is no escape from this. For many, this is a critical shortcoming.

Another feature - when assembling the frame, without sheathing, it has good resistance to torsional loads, but does not perceive horizontal loads very well. Therefore, the frame is first assembled completely and only then it is sheathed.

Stratodesic dome

Dome houses of this design are assembled from sections of a trapezoidal shape. That is, its fragments are more like rectangles or squares. This structure allows the use of doors and windows of standard design. For many, this is a big plus.

The disadvantage of the statodesian dome is that it is possible to remove structural elements only after careful calculation and strengthening of adjacent structures. So the transfer of a door or window, resizing is possible only after the change in the bearing capacity of this section or even the dome as a whole is calculated.

This technology has its own assembly feature. The frame should be sheathed as the racks are installed. That is, the second row of racks is assembled only after the first is sheathed, the third row - after the second is sewn up with sheet material, etc. This is due to the fact that in an unfinished form - without sheathing - the frame has a high bearing capacity for vertical loads and is not very resistant to torsional loads. As soon as the edges are sheathed, it becomes very stable and reliable.

Unlike a geodesic dome, a stratodesic connector is not required to assemble. The vertical parts of the frame are connected using special-shaped locks. Horizontal jumpers are fastened with a plate, which is fixed with bolts, under which a metal plate is laid.

There is another nuance that affects the cost of a domed house. When cutting sheet material for a stratodesic dome, there are more scraps than with a geodesic dome. This somewhat increases the cost of materials. But they are offset by the fact that windows and doors are used in a standard design, they are cheaper than triangular ones. As a result, the cost of the dome of different technologies is not much different.

Advantages and disadvantages

No one will argue with the fact that domed houses look unusual. If you want to have a house or cottage "not like everyone else" and have nothing against frame housing construction, take a closer look at this technology. The solution is really non-standard. Plus, they say it's economical. The cost per square meter starts from $200. But as you know, this is the minimum price. Such an economical option.

Advantages of domed houses

In addition to the unusual appearance, the advantages of spherical houses are as follows:

By the combination of characteristics, domed houses look very attractive. In addition, many say that the construction requires much less money - due to the smaller surface of the walls, material is saved. According to mathematical calculations, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe walls is almost a third less. But the savings, if any, are not so big - the construction is specific, using specific components that increase the cost of construction. In fact, the cost per square meter is about the same as with the usual form.

Minuses

There are also disadvantages and they are also quite serious. In any case, it is worth knowing about them and taking into account.

There is also an unusual layout, but it cannot be clearly attributed to the shortcomings. I like domed houses precisely for their originality. So the non-standard shape of the premises is rather a feature that must be taken into account when selecting / ordering furniture and choosing finishing materials.

Projects and planning features

It is far from easy to plan a round building in such a way that it is rational, beautiful, and even convenient. There are several basic techniques that most adhere to. The first thing that catches your eye is that there simply cannot be corridors in such a house. They just have nowhere to go. This is not bad, but the layout of the house becomes more difficult from this. Let's start with a simple one - how to arrange the entrance to the house.

Entry group

For our climate, it is desirable that the front doors open into a small room, and not into a large room. Saves in this case a small vestibule. About can be allocated from the total area or attached. Approximately the same tasks are performed by a covered veranda. This is a more "civilized" way to solve the problem.

Not everyone likes this approach. Today, there are other trends in the world - from the front door they get into a large spacious hall / living room. Such a layout is also possible, but additional measures are needed to cut off cold air - a thermal curtain near the entrance. It is made using convectors built into the floor or by installing several powerful radiators near the door. The first method is more efficient, the second is easier to implement. All these nuances are typical for domed houses. The only difference is that you have to rack your brains on how to fit the built-in vestibule. The other two methods are easier to solve.

Let's look at the input group device options with examples. In the picture above, the right project, the entrance doors lead to the living / dining room. This decision is typical for Europe and America. We are gradually gaining popularity, but due to the more severe climate it often brings inconvenience - each opening of the doors in winter brings a significant portion of cold air, which reduces comfort.

The option on the left is with an attached vestibule. There are two exits from the vestibule - one to the winter garden, the other to the kitchen/dining room. The solution is no less modern, but the problem of cold air entering the living quarters has been solved. So this idea is worth adopting.

If it is decided to make the vestibule built-in, obviously, you will have to allocate some area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe house. The minimum is three squares (on the left project). It is logical if the living / dining room will be located further.

Another way is to allocate a large area and use it as a hallway. Place a wardrobe here, a hanger for things “for now” (draft law). If the area allows, you can install a small sofa. For a frequent home, the presence of an entrance hall is practically a necessity. Dirt and sand are less dragged into the house. And this is another argument in favor of a dedicated input group. Attached or fenced off - it's your choice. But the entrance area is convenient. At least in our realities.

Space organization

Most often, the central part of the space of the domed house is allocated for common use. From this central area you can get to all the other rooms, which are located in a circle. In general, the central room turns out to be uncomfortable, since it is “very passable”.

It will not be possible to relax in it if it is a living room, it is not very convenient to cook in it, if the idea comes to use this room as a kitchen, as a dining room it is also not the best option. Projects that use this space in this way are presented above. It looks great in the picture, but in real life you can’t count on a chamber atmosphere here. So the passage rooms are not the most inhabited.

Not the worst way to use this passage area is to install a ladder. After all, most of the domed houses have two floors, and the screw one just asks here. Just keep in mind that if you just twist it around the pole, it will be inconvenient to use - too sharp turns are obtained. If you design a staircase like a "well", it is difficult to build it yourself. So this part will have to be delegated to someone.

Otherwise, domed houses are planned in the same way as ordinary ones. The main rule to remember is that in order for engineering systems to be not very expensive, all “wet” premises are located close to each other. The location of bedrooms, offices and other "dry" rooms - to your taste.

Related videos

No matter how detailed the technology is described, its pros and cons, it is so difficult to get an accurate idea. We receive a significant part of information and impressions visually. Pictures and photos help only partially to give a general idea. It is much better to see everything with your own eyes in the video reviews.

Everyone knows how the dome of St. Isaac's Cathedral ends - with a cross! However, not everyone knows how the dome of the US Capitol ends. Back view...

It's not just a sculpture, it's a "Statue of Liberty" and not just a Statue of Liberty...

this is some kind of indian woman.

There is a totem sign and feathers on her head, her face is of course Caucasoid stars around, wrapped in a flag and she also has a shield and a sword (saber). But it's not that. I was interested in domes in general and what is up there.
As it turned out in America, on the domes there are either statues of women, or a spire, or an ear of corn. :::-)))

Here is Texas, the capitol dome ... some kind of terrible woman!

Here is an ear of corn ... well, at least they write so! By the way, according to the old Russian tradition, the dome is covered with gold!

For example, in Havana now at least just a spire.

All these domes are arranged according to the same scheme, in principle the construction of domes is the same everywhere in the world!
The capillary dome in Washington is often compared with the dome of St. Isaac's Cathedral and there is a legend that they are technologically identical and even the drawings are almost Montferan's...
Here is a schematic diagram of the dome device. Consider it carefully - the dome is a very complex structure and it consists, as it were, of two domes - internal and external, on top of which there is a booth where a person can go!

Here is a photo of the interior of the dome of St. Isaac's Cathedral, the space between the domes with a staircase.

There is a good opportunity to consider such constructions up close. During the destruction of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, Soviet workers took pictures of everything.

As the architects describe - cast iron - base and forged steel small parts, bolted connection. It is clearly seen that the heads of the bolts are still square, very old!
In the construction of most of the Great Temples there is an amazing period when they began to build and then for a while it happens even for decades they abandoned everything and then quickly completed everything in the middle of the 19th century, in the 50s - 60s.
There are a lot of photos of the construction of the US Capitol ...
However, in other states, the capitol was completed at the end of the 19th century, but these are trifles, let them be.
All capitols, with rare exceptions, have an internal painted dome.
In those capitols, where the mural on the top of the cross has a simple plot - the biblical god and all sorts of angels. But in the USA, the murals are local, for example, in Washington on white clouds, surrounded by 13 virgins, not Christ ascends to GOD, but Washington! The painting of the rotunda is called "The Apotheosis of Washington" http://litturist.blogspot.ru/2015/05/blog-post.html?m=0

Here's humble Texas...

Here is the dome of a more "ancient" capitol - Les Invalides in Paris.

All the same!
Once again I will show the structure of the domes, so that it would be clear why everything is so cunningly arranged.

The inner dome has a hole in the vault so that the painting of the "Apotheosis of Washington" type can be seen, the effect of a high sky appears, everything is very beautiful.
I suggest that all these domes of the capitols were built at about the same time - the middle of the 19th century, when they had already mastered complex metallurgy and could make the metal structures necessary for the construction of such domes.
What am I leading up to? I am trying to prove with all my magazine that antiquity is the 18th century and even the beginning of the 19th century, respectively, Christianity as a religion was born at the end of the first quarter, and maybe even in the very middle of the 19th century.
I propose to conduct an experiment, so to speak, to confirm the theory with practice.
There is the most famous and oldest dome of ancient Rome - the dome of the Pantheon. Made as historians assure us almost two thousand years ago!
Let's deal with him. I've always wondered about the hole in the dome. Why is she needed? Rain happens in Rome and I think that it was all those two thousand years that the pantheon stood.

This is how the dome device is drawn.

And now the dome of the Capitol in Washington... one more time.

The Roman pantheon is the same capitol, only the upper dome was dismantled into pieces of iron, well, or for ancient history. There must have been some kind of apotheosis! And a woman with a sword on top - some kind of foul!
By the way, the tradition of putting a sculpture on top is a Masonic tradition. My readers probably remember the amazing temple in Simbirsk that survived the Great Fire... http://vaduhan-08.livejournal.com/256597.html Here it is... I didn't know then what could be up there, but now it's probably I know .... well, not an ear of corn, for sure! And not Jesus Christ!

So putting a cross on top of the temple is a rather local tradition, which was instilled by fires and all sorts of "cholera pestilences". The riots of the people about cholera were strangely suppressed by soldiers, they are not afraid of cholera ... it’s not for nothing that they call harmful women “cholera”:::-)))
One should not be surprised at the abundance of Masonic symbols on churches, whoever builds and paints.
The American Marmons also have a tradition of placing on top of the temple not a cross, but the angel Moroni with a trumpet.

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When deciding on a project for summer cottage construction, first of all, not only comfort is evaluated, but also the appearance of the future building. A private house is considered to be a place to relax, so it should be made beautiful and comfortable. If you want to build a unique greenhouse, house or gazebo on your backyard, then you should try to think about building a geodesic dome. In appearance, this is a rather complicated structure, but even a not very experienced builder is able to build it, and material costs will be small. This article will describe how to build a dome with your own hands.

Geodesic dome definition

Experts believe that most people have no idea about this building design, because it is very rare. That is why it is worth describing in detail all the features and technical characteristics of a geodesic dome. Developed buildings with a load-bearing mesh shell inventor Richard Fuller. First, he took a very solid spherical structure and divided it into small triangles, whose sides are located on regular geodesic lines. Richard Fuller's calculations were able to make the construction of the dome simple and accessible to anyone.

The inventor believed that such a unique building design was supposed to solve the problem of quickly building a cheap and comfortable house. This development was not appreciated by experts, and it not applicable in mass construction. However, for building a unique cafe or a beautiful summer house, the Fuller geodesic dome is the best option.

The development of Richard Fuller is a fairly stable design. The geodesic dome evenly distributes the entire mass, can withstand huge loads and reduces financial investments in the construction of the foundation. The unique spherical shape is able to withstand the most powerful gusts of wind. Savings in the construction of such houses are due to a reduction in the total area of ​​​​the side surface. In the dome itself, round walls help high-quality air circulation, creating a comfortable microclimate.

The main disadvantage can be considered very complex, in comparison with simple houses, mathematical calculations. Since the design consists of a huge number of parts, then it is necessary to insulate quite a lot of joints. The geodesic dome has no other significant drawbacks.

Measurements and calculations

If you want to build a geodome with your own hands, you must first carry out all the mathematical calculations. The main task of calculating the geodesic dome is to have a certain radius, get data like this:

It is necessary to focus on such a node for building a geodome as a special connector. This detail is a node that connects all the rafter parts. Since the connector is the main element for fixing the entire structure, it is made of durable high quality material.

Depending on the design of the geodesic dome and the location in it, the connecting connector must have a different number of petals. All fixtures for building a domed house can be purchased or made by hand. A good example would be a connector from ordinary perforated tape. Such a connector has a very valuable quality, because it is quite easy to adjust the angle of inclination on it. Small diameter geodesic domes can be built using the connectorless method. However, when building a large house, it is necessary to use a metal connector to fasten the ribs.

In order to make calculations, you need to know the dimensions of the building. It must be remembered that the total area of ​​​​the manufactured geodesic dome will be slightly less than the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe circle, because at the base there is a polyhedron that is inscribed in a circle. The height of the building can be determined by the total length of the diameter. It is worth noting that the greater the height of the dome, the more the structure will look like a sphere.

To calculate the necessary details of the future design, it is worth using a special online calculator. Need to enter data about the height and radius of the building, and the calculator will calculate the geodome and provide the length and number of ribs, the type and number of connecting connectors.

DIY construction

The most suitable structures for domed construction can be considered small greenhouses, cozy gazebos or country houses. First you need to choose a place to build. If it is a greenhouse, then you need to find a well-lit area. Suitable for a house or gazebo slightly shaded area. The site for any of these buildings is leveled, and then all debris and tree roots are removed from it.

Greenhouse

Building a domed greenhouse is the easiest. To assemble it, you do not need a foundation, and the material for the base can be ordinary boards, bars or metal pipes. On a previously prepared surface, it is necessary to begin assembling the base of the greenhouse-dome. First of all, triangles are assembled and fastened together. In order not to confuse the faces, they must be signed and checked against the drawing. If the greenhouse is small, then during assembly, the connecting connector should be replaced with a simple mounting tape and fasteners.

The manufactured geodesic dome should be covered with a simple film. A domed greenhouse will look much better, which covered with polycarbonate sheets. The triangles cut out of polycarbonate must be fixed on the frame, and all joints must be closed with decorative strips. From the street, the geodome can be decorated with decorative stone, plant flowers and install a small fence. Such a domed greenhouse will be a unique decoration of any country house.

Alcove

In the form of a geodesic dome, you can build a gazebo. For this it is necessary follow these recommendations:

After the manufacture of the design of the domed gazebo, an equally important stage of work follows. It consists in covering a round gazebo with a dome. The material for this can be used very different. If the design of the geodesic dome is not completely covered, and a couple of sections of the gazebo are left open, then they can be decorated with a beautiful fabric. In such a comfortable gazebo, you can enjoy spending your free time with family and friends.

House

The dome is able to become the basis of a unique house in a summer cottage. The main difference from the gazebo and greenhouse is the need to build a foundation. In order to build a domed house, it is worth adhere to the following recommendations:

• a well-insulated foundation is needed;
• special corner posts are attached to the base of the foundation, which are strengthened with horizontal struts;
• the construction of a domed house is being assembled;
• outside the house must be sheathed with plywood sheets.

Having installed the door and window frames, it is worth starting the decoration of the geodesic house from the inside. A good insulation is laid in all openings, which is sewn up with plywood sheets. In order to build a domed house, it takes no more than three months of work. The shape of the geodesic dome will help save on materials.

When living in such a house, you can appreciate the main advantages of this design.

An interesting architectural solution is the construction of a round gazebo - in the form of a dome or rotunda. This form allows you to "dilute" the classic square and rectangular buildings, which are usually found in the country.

Beautiful shape with three tiers

Round arbors are often confused with.

They are indeed similar, but have different wall and roof designs.

The publication will show various examples of round arbors that can be implemented on your site.

Some advice will also be given on the construction of such a structure on its own, in particular, the foundation, the frame and the design of the rafters for the roof.

There are really a lot of ideas with a round shape. One classification stretched for as many as 7 points, each of which will have its own examples with photographs. Picking up some idea for your own construction is not difficult.

All buildings vary greatly in price. The cheapest material was and remains wood, and brick or stone buildings are noticeably more expensive. The aesthetics of such a complex shape as round is quite expensive.

from wood

The classic building material - wood, is the most popular and cheapest among all types and forms of arbors (unless we are talking about debarked logs with a diameter of 300 mm).

Such buildings look very civilized, besides, modern impregnations and antiseptics allow the tree to stand and not rot for decades. Therefore, you can not worry about the reliability of such structures.

Due to the lightness of the material, the gazebo does not require a serious and capital foundation. In most cases, ordinary foundation blocks are sufficient.

metal

I have seen quite a lot of both unique architectural solutions (made to order) and standard ones (ready for sale). All these arbors are similar, but they have a huge difference both in aesthetic beauty and in the quality of the metal.

The more massive the structure, the more expensive and better it is. Thick metal will stand for decades if it is treated in time against corrosion and painted. Thin metal, especially shaped pipes, can be seriously deformed during operation, especially if you plan to use it often.

The presence of a metal crate also affects the price.

Any aesthetic moments associated with metal require additional material and the work of a welder, so they are expensive. But almost any metal building will look very beautiful, regardless of the project - I can’t say the same about wooden arbors.

from brick

Some of the most expensive and capital buildings are brick. To lay out a round shape, you need to show some ingenuity and skill, since you cannot fix a brick on a self-tapping screw.

Sometimes the structure is additionally reinforced with concrete lintels and metal reinforcement in order to withstand all the contours of the building.

Of course, such structures are expensive. In addition, the owners often ask to install an oven complex, since it is somehow not civil to cook meat nearby on a small barbecue.

Before deciding to build such a large gazebo, you need to allocate a site on your site.

In addition to the structure itself, it is necessary to take into account the landscape design around, and indeed the free space. It is pointless to build such a building on a small plot.

Polycarbonate

Against the background of past photos, polycarbonate will look simply ridiculous, but it will also cost tens or even hundreds of times less. Due to the flexibility of carbonate boards, making a round shape at the roof or even walls will not be a serious problem.

Polycarbonate sheets must be laid out with honeycombs down, and not sideways - this will allow the condensate to leave naturally.

In any case, it will not work to make a gazebo only from polycarbonate, since a frame is needed on which it will be attached. In most cases, it is wood or metal.

You can build such structures without problems with your own hands, and if you are interested in buying, then this is also not a problem - the price is quite acceptable even for high-quality slabs.

With barbecue (Finnish grill)

Due to the round shape, installing a barbecue inside the gazebo becomes difficult. They can only boast of the possibility of cooking in a round room, which have already been discussed in detail on our website.

The price of these buildings is relatively small - from 180 to 300 thousand rubles on average.

An example of a Finnish gazebo

Thanks to its design with a chimney and a barbecue in the center, you can simultaneously relax and cook meat on an open hearth right inside the house. And it is safe and without strong smoke. If you are interested in this approach to the recreation area, then you can pay special attention to the Finnish grill option.

With dome and columns (rotunda)

Do you know what the gazebo with a dome and a column of 7 letters is called? Rotunda! Often this question is asked in scanwords and crossword puzzles. It is a massive structure with a domed roof and columns (in budget options, these are wooden, metal or stone pillars).

It is rare to see such a building on a summer cottage. Usually they stand in city parks, squares or near monuments (I saw the latter near the Victory Monument in Saransk). However, some summer residents are willing to pay for such architectural masterpieces, if the site and finances allow.

backlit

A certain thrill in me is arbors with lighting, which can be both decorative and strictly practical. In any case, the issue of light in the room is very acute, especially when the night suddenly comes around, and the rest does not plan to end at all.

In my personal opinion, you need to think over the light in any recreation area. This is a strategically important facility, which should be ready to receive people at any time. And if everything around also shines from the light, then this will also add an additional pleasant effect to the rest.

DIY construction

I would like to say a few words about the construction of round arbors. Their design is noticeably more complicated than the classical ones. If you do not want to go deep into the domed roof or undulating horizontal railings, then we recommend that you consider building a hexagonal shape.

In most cases, it also looks beautiful, but the corners still stand out. If this option does not suit you, then let's consider the option with a round shape.

Foundation

If it is not planned to work with heavy building material (brick, concrete and stone), then a block foundation is enough - 20 by 20 by 40 cm placed around the foundation blocks. You can easily put the bottom trim on them and partially support the logs for the floor.

A more reliable foundation can be made from pillars. To do this, it is necessary to dig holes for the poles, fill them with concrete, then fix the metal “sleeves” in them and install the poles. Such a design will be protected from any "game" of the soil.

If you are interested in a more serious building, then the round foundation must be made tape. Shallow will be enough - it is not at all necessary to dig a trench deeper than the freezing of the soil, about 60-70 cm will be enough.

frame

Installing pillars is no different from a classic gazebo. You need to fix them vertically on metal corners (if we are talking about wood). Depending on the design of your gazebo, you will need 6 or 8 posts.

The upper trim will be covered by the roof, so it does not require special aesthetics. The main thing is reliability.

Roof device

In order to create a round roof, it will be necessary to use rafters and a circular crate, on top of which the roof will be laid. You can see the project of this roof below. An additional level has been erected in the center. There is no practical meaning in it, it is needed only for aesthetics.

The device of a round roof with sloping rafters

Villa Rotunda

Villa Capra in Vicenza.

La Rotonda is a country house or villa built by Andrea Palladio on a hilltop near Vicenza for retired Vatican official Paolo Almerico. After the transfer in 1591 to the ownership of the Capra brothers, Villa Almerico was renamed Villa Capra (Villa Capra). It is sometimes called Villa Almerico Capra.

Andrea Palladio (Italian Andrea Palladio; November 30, 1508 - August 19, 1580, real name - Andrea di Pietro) - the great Italian architect of the late Renaissance. Founder of Palladianism and Classicism. Probably the most influential architect in history.

Palladio's masterpiece is the Villa Almerico-Valmarana ("La Rotonda" (or "Capra") in Vicenza (1551-1567, completed by Vincenzo Scamozzi) - the first secular building of the Renaissance, crowned with a dome. The building is built in proportions of the golden section, like a belvedere with a round a hall crowned with a dome, with a light lantern and light Ionic 6-column porticos with stairs located around it on the sides of the facades.

“In order not to go into architectural details, the easiest way is to conjure up the Bolshoi Theater or the regional House of Culture - they are such thanks to Palladio. And if you were to make a list of people whose efforts the world - at least the world of the Hellenic-Christian tradition from California to Sakhalin - looks like it does, and not otherwise, Palladio would take first place.

Peter Weil. "Genius of the place"

Villa Rotunda, which is under the protection of UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, is generally recognized as one of the central buildings in the history of European architecture. For Palladian architects, this was the most revered example of a manor house. Thousands of buildings around the world were built in his image and likeness - from the American estate of Monticello to the St. Sophia Cathedral in Tsarskoye Selo.

Villa Capra is one of the first private houses in the history, solved in the form of an ancient temple. The building has a perfect symmetry based on carefully calculated mathematical proportions. The villa has four identical facades with Ionic porticos, which are reached by a balustrade with statues of ancient gods. The plan of the building, including the porticos, resembles a Greek cross in outline. Among the first repetitions of the villa outside of Italy belonged to the estates of English aristocrats - Chiswick House and Mereworth Castle.

Vincenzo Scamozzi, who was responsible for the completion and decoration of the villa after the death of Palladio, crowned it with a dome-rotunda like the Roman Pantheon. From a round hole on top of the dome, according to the creators, the sunlight was supposed to pour into a round living room in the center of the building. Its walls are covered with elaborate frescoes. All other rooms are designed in such a way that the sun also peeks evenly into them during the day.

Unlike many monuments of Renaissance architecture, which tacitly oppose themselves to the surrounding landscape, the villa fits perfectly into it. A wide alley for carriages leads to it from the front gate. Palladio and Scamozzi achieved in this work of theirs harmony with nature, unknown to European architecture since antiquity.

The monument is currently owned by Mario di Valmerana, a retired professor of architecture at the University of Virginia. It is interesting that the main building of this university (the so-called Rotunda) was designed by Thomas Jefferson on the model of the Villa Rotunda. The influence of this Palladian masterpiece is also marked by the unrealized design of the Presidential Palace in Washington, which was designed by Jefferson. UNESCO World Heritage Site No. 712
Material from Wikipedia