A world's largest free-standing, pillar-less dome has been unveiled at a university in India.

The MIT World Peace University uncovered the dome at their campus in Pune, Maharashtra, on October 2.

It covers an area of 62,500 square feet and has a diameter of 160 feet.

In comparison, the Vatican's dome has a diameter of just 139.6 feet.

The megastructure – built "in the name of world peace," according to the university – is supported by 24 columns, each 63 feet tall.

The dome, which took 13 years to erect, houses 54 bronze statues of religious and intellectual leaders and figures from around the world, all crafted by celebrated Indian artist Ram V. Sutar.

A mega monument for world peace built in Pune, which has the world’s biggest pillar-less dome.The structure, built without a professional architect's design, is an initiative of the MIT World Peace University. The structure, built in the campus of the MIT Group of Institutes, covers an area of 62,500 sq ft. The dome has a diameter of 160 feet. In comparison, the Vatican Dome's has a diameter of just 139.6 feet. The dome stands 263 feet tall with a bell hanging from the centre. It is supported by 24 massive columns, each of which is 63 feet tall.The structure houses 54 massive bronze statues of some religious and intellectual leaders of the world. The statues weigh between one-and-half tonnes to two tonnes, are up to four metres tall and have been crafted by the renowned 93-year old artist, Ram V Sutar, of Maharashtra.