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Monolithic architecture

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Pancha Rathas monolith rock-cut temple, late 7th century

Monolithic architecture is a style of construction in which a building is carved, cast or excavated from a single piece of material. The most basic form of monolithic architecture is a rock-cut building, such as the monolithic churches of Ethiopia or the Pancha Rathas in India.

Buildings with a structural material that is poured into place, most commonly concrete, can also be described as monolithic. Extreme examples are monolithic domes, where the material is sprayed inside of a form to produce the solid structure. An ancient example of a monolithic dome is that of the Mausoleum of Theodoric in Ravenna, Italy, whose roof is a single stone.

See also

References

  • Russell Sturgis, Sturgis' Illustrated Dictionary of Architecture and Building

Media related to Monolithic architecture at Wikimedia Commons


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