Original scientific paper
The dome of Diocletian’s mausoleum in Split
Radoslav Bužančić
Abstract
Precise measurements, probes and exemplary knowledge
of Roman architecture inspired Vicko Andrić’s idea on reconstruction
the original appearance of the mausoleum in which
its cupola would remain visible, reinforced by stepped rings at
the foot with an oculus at its zenith. However, to this day the
scholarly public has not accepted his proposal for the original
appearance, rejecting it as a presumption based on the appearance
of the Roman Pantheon. In numerous audits of that probe,
the rings were not found because they were destroyed in
the first investigations. Their discovery in the northern probe
in 2023 confirmed Andrić’s reconstruction. The dome’s extrados
was visible, covered with metal roofing and with rings at
its foot. The existence of an oculus in the cupola still has not
been firmly proven, but precise measurements of the dome’s
intrados registered a fracture at the connection between the
dome’s cupola, which is slightly more curved. Prompted by
new finds, the author puts forth a hypothesis on the mausoleum’s
original appearance which hews closely to Andrić’s reconstruction.
Keywords
mausoleum, Diocletian, dome, Split, imperial palace.
Hrčak ID:
344350
URI
Publication date:
1.12.2025.
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