Abstract
This study examines the distribution of natural light on the mosaics in the dome of the Rotunda in Thessaloniki. It reveals that the monument is governed by a system of geometrical proportions which is repeated in the zones of mosaics in the dome. An important role in the illumination of the mosaics is played by the suitably fashioned sills of the large windows and the use of gold tesserae in the dome. The lighting is also assisted by the form of the dome and the appropriate inclination of the surface of the mosaic in relation to the light entering the large arched windows and also the light entering the lunettes which lie at the base of the dome.
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