Monolithic architecture

For other uses of the term, see Monolith (disambiguation).

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 the monolith, such as the monolithic churches of Lalibela, Ethiopia or the Pancha Rathas in India.

Buildings with a structural material which 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, which is a single stone.

See also

• Monolithic column
• Monolithic church
• Monolith
• Rock cut architecture

References

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

External links

Media related to Monolithic architecture at Wikimedia Commons