On a macroscopic scale one can explain the atmospheric pressure by the weight of the column of air over a given small area. 

If you enclose this air in rigid vessel (for example by pressing together two Magdeburger hemispheres without evacuating them), the pressure of the air inside of the vessel remains the same as outside the vessel though the air column is not present anymore. 

How can one explain this sticking only to the macroscopic/phenemological scale, i.e. avoiding microscopic kinetic gas theory?