The earliest architectural dome was made with mammoth tusks in 1900 BC. Since then, many cultures have created religious and government domes. Famous ones include the Panthéon in Paris, Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem and Saint Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow. Michelangelo designed the world’s tallest dome of 448 feet at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City. In comparison, the U. S. Capitol’s Corinthian dome stands 288 feet. On top is a 19 foot Statue of Freedom. The Neoclassical appearance of the Nation’s Capitol is replicated in the design of many government buildings around Washington, D. C.
