Massively elegant, these striking panorama rotundas advertise the sensational treasures housed within and lure visitors to their doorstep, matching the spectacle created by the magnificent paintings. These monumental buildings were, in the panorama's heyday, built to accommodate paintings of up to 360 feet in circumference {110 meters} and 45 feet high {14 meters}. Incorporated into the design of the building was the lighting of the panorama painting inside. Lit by indirect natural light from above, this necessary technical feature also heightened the feeling of faux-reality experienced within the panorama, as changes in sunlight or the effects of moving clouds would be projected upon the panoramic painting and three-dimensional terrain.
As was typical of the time period, the panorama rotunda's greatest foe was fire. These large wooden structures, often filled with old, dry brush used as part of the faux-terrain, were extremely susceptible to fire and could disappear in flames almost instantly. Many panorama rotunda structures were never intended to be long-term buildings, such as for a world's fair or temporary exhibit run. Over the years, many of the panorama rotundas have been replaced with more durable structures so as to preserve the panoramic phenomenon for all to experience as time marches on. Alas, there are few original panorama paintings which exist today, and there are even fewer original panorama rotundas remaining. All of the rotundas pictured above are still extant, except for the rotunda in Moscow, which has been replaced with a more contemporary structure, though the painting housed within is original.
