Pointed bulbous domes characterized by a distinctive tapering bulb or onion shape that has a diameter greater than the drum upon which it is placed, and typically having a height that exceeds its width. Onion domes first saw widespread use in Islamic architecture in about the 8th century, when they often topped minarets or were placed over the central space or on the corners of mosques and domestic buildings in the Middle East and India. They were then used in Russia, Spain, Austria, Bavaria, and Eastern Europe by the 18th century; use spread to other Western styles and locations in the 19th century. For small domes, often resembling overturned cups or pointed, and placed over a turret, use "cupolas."
