Cupola
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Cupola (disambiguation).
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like structure, on top of a building.[1] Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome.[2][3] The word derives, via Italian, from the lower Latin cupula (classical Latin cupella from the Greek kypellon) small cup (lat. cupa) indicating a vault resembling an upside down cup.[4] Cupolas often appear as small buildings in their own right. They often serve as a belfry, lantern, or belvedere above a main roof. In other cases they may crown a tower, spire, or turret.[3] The chhatri, seen in Indian architecture, fits the definition of a cupola when it is used atop a larger structure.
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[edit] References
- ^ "Glossary of Architectural Terms - C". Archiseek: Online Architecture Resources. http://www.archiseek.com/guides/glossary/c.html. Retrieved on 3 January 2009.
- ^ "cupola". The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. Bartleby.com. 2000. http://www.bartleby.com/61/78/C0807800.html. Retrieved on 3 January 2009.
- ^ a b "Just what is a cupola anyway?". Cupola Consulting. Cupola.com. http://www.cupola.com/whatscu1.htm. Retrieved on 3 January 2009.
- ^ In Italian, cupola simply means dome, and the ornamental top element is called lanterna.
