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Domes and heads of temples. Why do the domes of Orthodox churches come in different colors?

With an amazing variety of species Orthodox churches they all have one general detail- dome topped Orthodox cross. However, if you look closely, you will notice that this integral part of Orthodox temples and churches has different shapes and colors. Is this diversity just a figment of the imagination of architects, or is there something more important? First, let's delve a little into the history of the dome. This complex architectural structure began to be built back in the fifth millennium BC, but in construction Christian churches began to be used around the 2nd century after the birth of Christ.

The shapes of the domes of Orthodox churches have different names: helmet-shaped, pear-shaped, tent-shaped, spherical, onion-dome, umbrella-dome, oval dome. It can be difficult for a person inexperienced in architectural details to distinguish them, so each variety has its own detailed description. Of course, the shapes of the domes of Orthodox churches and churches differ for a reason - each of them has a semantic meaning.

Types of Orthodox churches and their differences in domes

One of the most common forms of domes in Orthodox churches is onion. It has a convex shape and an elongated top, pointed at the end. The onion dome follows the curves of the candle and symbolizes. Also on many Orthodox temples and churches you can see a helmet-shaped dome, which is really very similar to the helmet of an epic hero and is designed to remind Christians of the constant spiritual warfare that they wage throughout their lives.

The spherical Orthodox dome comes from Byzantium and signifies eternity. He doesn't have smooth transition from the base to the narrow top and looks like a ball topped with a cross. Umbrella domes can be any of the shapes already listed, but their difference is that they are divided into segments by ribs emanating from the base and descending to the bottom of the dome.

On other types of Orthodox churches you can find pear-shaped domes, similar to helmet-shaped and onion ones. Tent domes are a unique architectural form unique to Russia. Its appearance was dictated by the technical simplicity of construction - achieving smooth forms using wooden and stone materials was very difficult. Tent domes are reminiscent of the Gothic spiers of Catholic cathedrals.

Symbolism of Orthodox temples and churches and the colors of the domes

A modern Orthodox pilgrim, having opened a map of Orthodox churches on the Internet, can see in advance what the church to which he is going to make a pilgrimage looks like. Many people wonder why the Orthodox domes of cathedrals and churches have not only different shapes, but also different colors. Previously, it was generally accepted that color Orthodox domes speaks about the financial condition of the monastery or temple - they say that those who are richer can afford gilding, and those who are poorer paint the domes in order to save money. This is, of course, not true.

The color of the dome on an Orthodox temple or church indicates who the main altar is consecrated in honor of. You see golden domes - you can be sure that in front of you orthodox cathedral in honor of Jesus Christ, blue or light blue - temple Holy Mother of God, green - in honor of the Trinity or saints. In black, a color characteristic of the Russian north, domes are most often

SYMBOLICS OF DOMES IN ORTHODOX CHURCHES

HISTORY OF DOMES

Dome (Italian Cupola - domes, vault, from Latin cupula, diminutive of cupa - barrel) is a spatial, load-bearing structure of the covering, in shape close to a hemisphere or other surface of rotation of a curve.

The main thing in the temple is the domes. To them special attention and attitude. The dome may be different shapes, colors, and has a different number of chapters. All characteristics have their own symbolic meaning.

The history of domes dates back to prehistoric times. Domes began to be built during the Roman architectural revolution, when they began to be used in the construction of temples and large public buildings. It is believed that the oldest dome currently in existence is located in the Roman Pantheon, erected around 128 AD. Later, the tradition of dome building was adopted by Byzantine religious and cult architecture.

Russian art, starting from the 10th century. and until the end of the seventeenth century was inextricably linked with the Church and Christian faith. The first city in Rus' to be baptized was Kyiv. The service in the great Orthodox church of Byzantium - the Church of Hagia Sophia in the city of Constantinople influenced the ambassadors of Prince Vladimir of Kyiv. “We don’t know whether we were in heaven or on earth, for there is no such view and such beauty on earth... » It was this experience of beauty as holiness that formed the basis of new art on Russian soil. Byzantine craftsmen erected many temples in the traditions of Byzantine architecture.

DOME SHAPE

It is known that domes, or rather, domes over temples, are helmet-shaped, onion-shaped, pear-shaped and cone-shaped.

Helmet-like coverings most often they call a specific form of dome coverings, close to the shape of an ancient Russian helmet. The helmet shape is a symbol of warfare, the spiritual battle waged by the Church against the forces of evil and darkness.

The Byzantine Empire gave Rus' the ability to build temples. But young Christian Rus' did not at all feel like a timid student. Russian architecture, created by Russian masters, introduced its own discoveries into construction practice, original ideas and became a new embodiment of Christian art. Having analyzed the drawings of the temples, you can see that the shape of the dome is also changing. Already in the 11th century. the domes resemble a military helmet.

Onion dome has a convex shape, smoothly tapering at the top, similar to an onion. Most often, such domes are used in Russia, Turkey, India and the Middle East. The shape of the onion is a symbol of the candle flame, the victory of the forces of light. An Orthodox church, symbolizing the earth, with a dome symbolizing heaven, is interpreted as a model of the universe, which, according to religious views, is the creation of God. Believers direct their thoughts towards heaven and God. Therefore, the “onion” shape of the dome was not chosen by chance. It resembles a flame pointing upward, a burning candle that is lit during prayer addressed to God. This dome shape symbolizes spiritual uplift and the desire for perfection. The shape of the onion is a symbol of the candle flame, turning us to the words of Christ: “You are the light of the world.” IN textbook A. V. Borodina “Fundamentals Orthodox culture“It is written that the domes of the temples are shaped like a candle or a helmet. This is also not accidental, this form seems to connect the meanings: the burning of Orthodox hearts and military protection

“Our domestic onion embodies the idea of ​​deep prayerful burning to heaven, through which our earthly world becomes involved in otherworldly wealth. This is the completion of the Russian temple - like a fiery tongue, crowned with a cross and pointed towards the cross.”

E.N. Trubetskoy

It is this idea of ​​fiery, burning that is emphasized by the gilding of domes, so widespread in Russia.

Oval domes are part of Baroque architecture. The first Baroque oval dome was built by Giacomo da Vignola for the church of Sant'Andrea in Via Flamida in 1553. The largest oval dome was built in Vicoforte by the architect Francesco Gallo.

Umbrella domes divided into segments by ribs radiating from the center to the base of the dome.

Horizontal sections polygonal domes are polygons. One of the most famous examples of such domes is the octagonal dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, built by Filippo Brunelleschi.

Tent. In architecture, a tent is the end of towers and temples in the form of a tetrahedral or octagonal pyramid. A new page in the history of medieval Russian architecture Liberation from the Horde yoke stimulated a new upsurge in architecture. By this time another national type temple. The dome system characteristic of Byzantium was transformed into a pointed top of the tower. This shows the undoubted influence of defensive architecture, a typical example of which is given by Pskov with its powerful towers, devoid of any decorations and serving as protection from enemy attacks. With the particularly obvious power of the walls, masonry, narrow loopholes, windows, the harmony of the forms emphasizes their harmony and grace. The geometric shape of the octagonal tent, which in plan resembles the eight-pointed star of Bethlehem, allows one to interpret such churches as the image of the Mother of God, to whom the numbers 8 and 9 symbolically correspond. BUT tent coverings are prohibited, but this form was preserved in the construction of bell towers. And this is no coincidence. The tent on the bell tower is preserved as a symbol of the gospel and, of course, the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Bell towers of a tiered structure were also built (the bell tower of the Moscow Novodevichy Convent).

Saucer dome lower than other types of domes. Such a dome, it turns out, is not visible from the outside, but inside it creates a feeling of increased space. These domes were used in the construction of Byzantine churches and Ottoman mosques.

NUMBER OF DOMES

According to church symbolism, the dome indicates to Christians the need to strive from the earthly to the heavenly. Orthodox churches are built with an odd number of domes. The number of heads of the temple reveals in numerical symbolism the hierarchy of the structure of the heavenly church. Various quantities The design of the domes, or domes, of a temple building is determined by those to whom they are dedicated.

Single-domed temple the dome symbolizes the unity of God, the perfection of creation. Single-domed churches were most often built in the pre-Mongol era and were a symbol of the One God and the perfection of creation (Church of the Intercession on the Nerl, Church of the Holy Spirit in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, Demetrius Cathedral in Vladimir, Kazan Church). Sometimes bell towers or chapels and two domes were attached to them, then they symbolized the two natures of the Lord Jesus Christ - Divine and human (Church of St. John the Climacus in the Moscow Kremlin).

Double-domed temple the two domes symbolize the two natures of the God-man Jesus Christ, the two areas of creation (angelic and human).

Three Domed Temple three domes symbolize Holy Trinity, may not always be Trinity (for example, St. George’s Cathedral of the Yuryev Monastery in Velikiy

Four-domed temple. the four domes symbolize the Four Gospels, the four cardinal directions.

Five-domed temple five domes, one of which rises above the rest, symbolize Christ as the Head of the Church and the four evangelists. Five-domed churches became widespread in Rus', and their construction was carried out both in ancient times and in our days. One of the domes, as a rule, rises above the others, which symbolizes Jesus Christ and the four evangelists. Sometimes an initially five-domed cathedral after restructuring could turn into a six-domed one (St. Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod), however, just as it appeared from a previously three-domed cathedral. The reasons for such reconstructions were, as a rule, dilapidation and fire. Five-domed churches are also being built in lately, such, for example, was the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, recently revived in Moscow.

Seven Domed Temple the seven domes symbolize the seven Sacraments of the church, the seven Ecumenical Councils, seven virtues.

Nine Domed Temple nine domes are associated with the image of the heavenly Church, consisting of nine orders of angels and nine orders of righteous people.

Thirteen-domed temple

thirteen domes symbolize Jesus Christ and the twelve apostles.

Twenty-five chapters may be a sign of an apocalyptic vision of the throne of the Holy Trinity and the twenty-four elders (Rev. 11, 15-18) or denote praise to the Blessed Virgin Mary, depending on the dedication of the temple.

Thirty-three chapters- the number of earthly years of the Savior.

The number of heads of temples is associated with the dedication of the main throne of the temple, and also often with the number of thrones connected in one volume.

DOME COLOR

The color of the dome is also important in the symbolism of the temple.

Gold is a symbol of heavenly glory. The main temples and the temples dedicated to Christ and the twelve feasts had golden domes.

Gilding of the domes - clean Orthodox tradition, which is not found in other faiths. This apparent extravagance has its own unbreakable logic. For Orthodox man gold is primarily a symbol of eternity, incorruptibility, royalty and heavenly glory. It is not for nothing that one of the gifts brought by the Magi to the baby Jesus was gold. In Rus', the heads of the main temples, as well as temples dedicated to the Savior, were covered with gold.

The use of gold foil in the decoration of churches began during the Byzantine Empire, which did not spare the precious metal for the splendor of churches. Subsequently, the tradition of decoration was adopted by baptized Russia. The Church of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary on the Nerl River became one of the first whose dome, by order of Saint Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, was covered with gold leaf.

Domes are blue with the stars crowned churches dedicated to the Mother of God, because the star recalls the birth of Christ from the Virgin Mary.

Trinity churches had green domes, because green is the color of the Holy Spirit.

Temples dedicated to saints are also crowned green or silver domes

Meet in monasteries black domes- this is the color of monasticism.

Why are domes erected on Orthodox churches? Is this done only in Russia or in all Orthodox countries? How many domes should a temple have and how many can it never have? What shapes do they come in and what color can they be painted? Let's talk!

Why do churches need domes?

The domes of Orthodox churches as we know them now are purely a matter of tradition. In the sense that this is how it happened: churches should have domes. Moreover, it worked out exactly for us. In Orthodox Greece, for example, many churches are built without the usual domes.

Here, for example, is a church on the island of Corfu: typical Orthodox Greek architecture.

Like this temple: also Greece

Then what do domes actually mean for a temple if they are not built everywhere, and why does the temple need them?

Initially, a dome is just one type of vault that a building can have. For example, this design would be ideal to enclose large spaces when supporting columns need to be avoided. This type of overlap has been known since ancient times. Even before Christianity, domes were erected in religious and important buildings for the state - in short, where people gathered large number people: to celebrate something or perform a religious ceremony.

Over time, domes began to be directly associated with “sacred” buildings. IN Christian tradition the domed vault immediately began to symbolize the heavenly world, eternity, and the universe. Moreover, symbolism almost immediately became the main side of the dome, since in most churches (in those countries and cultures where it was used) the dome did not and does not have a constructive meaning and was simply the “crowning” of the structure.

Look: Hagia Sophia in Constantinople (now a mosque). It was built as an Orthodox church in the 6th century, but retained the “original” approach to the dome - as a full-fledged vault.

And here it is, Moscow. The dome is small, “symbolic”. The role of the vault is played by the roof-slab.

The fact that the dome can play a “symbolic” rather than constructive role has developed historically. For example, in Rus': the first churches themselves were almost all wooden and were made using the classic log house technique, so covering them with large domes was structurally illogical and impractical. The dome no longer played the role of a “roof”, but simply rose above the temple. Therefore, it is more correct to call them not domes, but chapters or “domes.”

This is not an ancient temple, but a modern one: in, but it well illustrates what has been said regarding the domes of wooden temples:

And here is an example of a temple design where the dome, on the contrary, actually plays a constructive role. Moscow. Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary near Prechistenka. The dome covers the entire chapel, although there is still a small turret above it, which is crowned with an onion.

Or in Kubinka near Moscow. Also: a large dome-shaped vault and a smaller “onion” above it.

Or the main cathedral of the St. John the Theologian Monastery in Moscow. Not the most clearly expressed example, perhaps, but nevertheless:

Domes have truly become an integral part of Russian tradition. Moreover, our domes are characterized by the “onion” shape. Some see this as a reminder of a burning candle. Maybe. But initially such symbolism was not included in the onion-shaped dome - it was simply about beautiful shape, which would harmoniously complete the image of the temple.

Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra in Moscow

How many domes does a temple have?

Generally speaking, as much as you want - in the sense that there are no dogmas or formulated laws on this matter. The number of domes is determined by the architectural concept of the temple. Another thing is that in the Christian tradition, some numbers contain symbolic meaning or associations, and therefore the number of domes in the vast majority of cases is limited to the following number:

  • One dome symbolizes the One God
  • Three domes symbolize the Holy Trinity
  • Five domes- The Savior and the four evangelists
  • Seven domes remind us of the seven Sacraments of the Church
  • Very rare: nine domes symbolize the nine angelic
  • Even rarer: 13 domes- Jesus Christ and his twelve apostles
  • Surely there is a temple with 33 domes: according to the number of years of the Savior’s earthly life.

Dome colors: what are they?

What the color of the dome in the Church should be is also not determined by any rules or canons. That is, it can be anything (at St. Basil's Cathedral on Red Square they are generally colorful), but again - traditionally, domes in the Russian tradition are like this:

Gilding- one of the most common ways decorate the chapter. There is no symbolic meaning here: it is simply very beautiful, majestic.

Blue domes(most often with stars). Such domes crown churches dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. And the stars remind us of the Nativity of Christ from the Virgin Mary.

Green domes. In general, in our Church tradition green- This is a symbol of the Trinity or the Holy Spirit. But in the case of domes there is no such direct relationship. Here, for example, is the Church of St. Nicholas in, next to the Lenin Library metro station in Moscow.

And finally: black domes. Someone says that they symbolize monasticism and are found in monastery churches, but this is not so. There are quite a few city, “parish” churches with black domes. For example, Old Believer temple Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Turchaninov Lane - which is a stone's throw from the Park Kultury metro station.

Copper domes also become black over time: copper acquires a very beautiful black color over the years.

Read this and other posts in our group at

One of essential elements Christian architecture is the dome. It is the dome of the church that gives it recognizable look and distinctive splendor.

In Orthodox doctrine, such a wedding of churches symbolizes the heavenly world and is often decorated with images of God, saints and angels.

Despite the similarity of structure, the domes of the church amaze with the variety of shapes, sizes and colors.

Variety of dome shapes

The first dome structures appeared in ancient times, even before the advent of Christianity. These were the so-called belt domes, formed by a stepped vault. With this method of laying, each new layer protrudes above the previous one. A classic example is the ancient Treasury of Atreus at Mycenae.

Today there are several main types of domes known:


As you can see, the shapes of the domes are very diverse. This is due various stages development of architecture and exchange of experience between cultures different states. In addition to the variety of shapes, domes have other differences.

The meaning of the color of the domes

A distinctive feature of Orthodox churches is the richness of the color palette of their “tops”. Using a specific color not only adds color appearance church, but also carries a sacred meaning.

For example:


The variety of colors is what attracts Russian churches and what makes each church unique and inimitable. What other information about the temple can be obtained by knowing about the features of its chapters?

The value of the number of domes

Each individual dome is already a work of art. If you take all the domes into account at once, even more meaning will emerge. After all, their number is not accidental and has great symbolism. Thus, a single dome on the temple personifies the One God. If the church has domes:


Thus, the domes can be called a kind of “passport” of the temple. From it you can learn about the history of the church, who it is dedicated to and what meaning it wants to convey to people. Having dealt with the symbolism of church domes, let’s move on to the technical part, namely their production and design.

How domes are made

A dome is a very “useful” structure that is highly valued in architecture. The use of this structure allows you to cover large spaces with minimal use of additional supports. A modern church dome typically consists of a metal frame, fiberglass shell, and roof cladding.

Today, only the name remains of most golden domes. Due to its high cost and fragility, natural gold is used less and less. It was replaced by titanium nitride, which is used to coat stainless steel plates. This material is not much inferior to gold in beauty, but is superior in reliability and ease of processing. Titanium nitride-coated panels are attached to the dome support, after which it rises to the top.

There is no doubt that dome building is a unique craft. It combines the genius of architectural thought and the depth of biblical implications.

Story

The history of domes began in prehistoric times [ specify], but technologically complex and large domes began to be built during the Roman Architectural Revolution, when domes began to be used in the construction of temples and large public buildings. It is believed that the oldest dome currently in existence is located in the Roman Pantheon, erected around 128 AD.

Types of domes

Belt dome

Belt dome

Belt dome differs from a “true dome” in that it consists of separate horizontal layers. Each next layer protrudes slightly above the previous one and is supported by a cantilever, converging towards the center at the very top. An example of such a dome is the Treasury of Atreus.

Onion dome

Onion dome

Onion dome has a convex shape, smoothly tapering at the top, similar to an onion. Most often, such domes are used in Russia, Turkey, India and the Middle East. Domes of this shape are most often used in the construction of churches of the Russian Orthodox Church. Although the earliest stone churches in Rus' had Byzantine (sail) style domes, they were later almost completely replaced by onion domes. Such domes have a larger diameter than the base, the drum, on which they are mounted, and their height usually exceeds their width. Although the earliest surviving buildings with this type of dome date back to the 16th century, illustrations from old chronicles indicate that they were no longer in use. later than the end 13th century. Like tents, domes were originally used only in wooden churches and began to be used in stone architecture much later. But even then they were made of wood or metal and installed on a stone drum. A famous engineer-architect who specialized in the domes of Orthodox churches was Sergei Nikolaevich Padyukov (1922-1993), who designed the domes and participated in the construction and reconstruction of 44 churches in the USA.

The church with several onion domes is typical form Russian church architecture, which distinguishes Russia from other Orthodox peoples and Christian denominations. In many Western countries The silhouette of a church with such domes is often associated with Russia in general. Historically, the first examples of such Russian churches are the wooden predecessor of the St. Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod with 13 domes (989) and the first temple on the site of the stone Church of the Tithes with 25 domes in Kyiv (989-996). The number of domes usually has a symbolic meaning in Russian architecture, for example, 13 domes symbolize Christ with the 12 apostles, and 25 domes also symbolize the 12 prophets of the Old Testament. Compared to Byzantine (sail) domes, Russian church domes are usually smaller and often gilded or brightly painted.

Oval dome

Oval dome

Oval domes are part of Baroque architecture. The name itself comes from Latin word ovum, meaning egg. Most often, oval domes are associated with the names of the architects Bernini and Borromini, but the first Baroque oval dome was built by Giacomo da Vignola for the church of Sant'Andrea in Via Flamina (also called Sant'Andrea del Vignola). Construction was commissioned by Pope Julius III in 1552 and ended in next year. The largest oval dome was built in Vicoforte by the architect Francesco Gallo.

Polygonal dome

Polygonal dome

Horizontal sections polygonal domes are polygons. One of the most famous examples of such domes is the octagonal dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, built by Filippo Brunelleschi.

Sail dome

Sail dome

Also called Byzantine domes, sailing domes represent a sail, the bases of which do not simply form arches to support the dome above it, but converge towards the center of the space, thus forming a dome themselves. Such domes are similar to a square sail, fixed from below in the four corners and blown from below.

Saucer dome

Large saucer dome

Saucer dome It is shallow, with a small angle between the horizontal and the surface at the base. Geometrically, the horizontal section of such domes is a circle, and the vertical section is a sector of the circle (that is, its part). Saucer domes are lower than other types of domes. Many of the largest domes in existence today are of this shape.

Saucer domes gained popularity in the 18th century and remain popular to this day. They are often used as an element of the interior design of a room, located in the attic space. In this case, the dome is not visible from the outside, but inside it creates a feeling of increased space. Often, such domes are decorated with ornaments or frescoes.

Such domes were sometimes used in the construction of Byzantine churches and Ottoman mosques. Most mosques in India, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan are covered with a saucer dome.

Umbrella dome

Umbrella dome

Umbrella domes divided into segments by ribs radiating from the center to the base of the dome. The material between the ribs is arranged in the form of arches, which transfer the vertical load to the ribs. The central dome of the St. Sophia Cathedral was built according to this design, which allowed the architect to place stained glass windows between the ribs on the base of the dome. The main dome of St. Peter's Basilica also has this shape.

Famous dome structures

The world's largest dome ceiling is over the stadium in Oita (Japan). Its span is 274 meters and it covers 43,000 seats.

Dome in religion

Domes occupy an important place in Christian and Muslim architecture. Most Orthodox churches and Muslim mosques, as well as many Catholic cathedrals, are crowned with domes.

For many faiths, the dome has symbolic meaning. So, in Orthodoxy, the dome is an image of heaven, it is decorated with images Kingdom of Heaven, God and angels.

In art

  • song “Russian Domes” by V. Vysotsky 1979 (also known performed by G. Leps)
  • song "Dome" by M. Krug
  • Church domes are a popular tattoo motif in prison symbolism.

See also

Links

Notes