The Architectural Significance of the Pantheon
The Pantheon is a magnificent temple that was built during ancient roman times and still stands today. The design of the Pantheon and the significance of it are directly related to a sun dial and understanding the way the sun works with the structure. It was originally built by Agrippa around 27 BC but was partially destroyed by a fire. During Hadrian’s reign, he rebuilt the Pantheon enhancing its architecture along with its meaning. This temple was dedicated to all the Gods of Rome and used as a place to worship them. Hadrian also held judicial court in the temple at times. “The Pantheon became a church—specifically, a station church, where the pope would hold special masses during Lent, the
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It begins at the portico with 40 foot tall columns of monolithic Corinthian style. From the portico you enter the rotunda, which has a marble floor and gives you the sight of the admirable oculus or opening at the top of the dome. “The dome’s coffers (inset panels) are divided into 28 sections, equaling the number of large columns below. 28 is a ‘perfect number,’ a whole number whose summed factors equal it (thus, 1 + 2 + 4 + 7 + 14 = 28). Only four perfect numbers were known in antiquity (6, 28, 496, and 8128) and they were sometimes held to have mystical, religious meaning in connection with cosmos” (Ranogajec). The natural cycle of the moon around the earth happens in 28 days, this is an example of a natural event related to cosmos that happens in a perfect number. “Until 1958, its dome was the biggest concrete span ever built” (McGee). Round architectural buildings were not uncommon in Rome, however nothing this massive had ever been …show more content…
One reason for this is the walls of the Pantheon reach up to 20ft thick making it impossible for windows. The specific construction of the Pantheon also made it impossible for light to enter at the entrance when the front doors opened. “No direct sunlight can enter from the door in the course of the whole year, owing to the northward orientation of the entrance doorway” (Hannah). This was unusual for roman temples, as they normally were set to face the south so the sun could illuminate the temples year round. “One explanation of the northern orientation is that the project of the building was to some extent inspired by a particular type of sundial, which captured the sunlight within a shadowy interior” (Harris). With the Romans giving great significance to the sun and the detailed position and measurements made in building the Pantheon, researchers have made many findings to give reason that the Pantheon was some form of a sun dial or astronomical instrument. “At the autumn equinox [September 22n d], the spot of sunlight touches the interior springing of the upper hemisphere. Then at winter solstice [December 22nd] the spot of sunlight moves up to a maximum height in the roof over the entrance. Thereafter, it moves down, touching again the base of the dome at the spring equinox [March 21st]. From the summer solstice [June 21st] the beam “turns back”, re-crossing the entrance between the end of August and the
An easily made mixture of sand and rock, it was much lighter than marble, just as durable, and could easily be worked to form different configurations. This progression in material, and craftsmanship enabled the Romans to make the dome which still can be seen today. However, they did not stray too far from the Greek innovations; they also included Corinthian columns made from granite as part of the façade. The porch on the Pantheon has the same character as the Parthenon; it uses the columns to assist in holding up the porch roof. The Parthenon also used columns, called Doric which was not just the style of columns, but also represented an architecture design that gave the standing columns a unique look. Using the post and lintel system, they distributed the weight of the massive roof evenly. They were also used more extensively throughout the Parthenon, using an ingenious ratio of 4:9 which gives it a sense of harmony and balance. One difference they do portray is the way light enters inside the structures. With the Parthenon having columns that surrounded the entire structure, light was able to freely enter without obstructions. The Pantheon light source, other than the light that enters through the front entrance, is by a hole that is in the roof that is approximately twenty-seven feet in size. However, we
In the Pantheon, the primary materials used in the Pantheon include brick, granite, concrete, volcanic rock. The importance of concrete in this designed is it helped create the so famous dome in the Pantheon. (Encyclopedia Britannica). The dome has a circular oculus in the middle which emits light. The heavy dome is held by concrete foundations and is made of concrete which demonstrates how they mastered concrete so greatly. According to (Encyclopedia Britannica), the dome measures about 142 feet in diameter and has a rising height of 71 feet above its base. (The dome also is said to have a brick faced walls inside the design for support. The design also has arches and vaults that serve as a structural load. The arches are laid around the dome in a manner that acts as compression to the dome. This design technique of using arches as support for domes is very crucial to understanding why the Romans could have such heavy structures. The vaults also served as a crucial aspect in this design because vaults are a series of arches that create a structural load. The arches helped created compression between the domes and the vaults which were in the bottom of the pantheon help create compression with the arches making the dome very strong. Understanding the importance of the arches, vaults and domes in this
This paper will compare the architecture, history, art theme, religion and the location behind the two buildings: The Pantheon, and San Vitale. Overview: The Pantheon was built in Rome, Italy during the reign of Augustus (27 BCE - 14 CE). It is a religious building dedicated to all gods, which is the meaning of its name.
The Pantheon deduces its name from Greek word meaning “All the gods of a religion”. The Pantheon was originally constructed as a famous temple in Rome which was devoted to all the gods of Ancient Rome. It is the best preserved building from Ancient Rome and was completed by 125 CE. Its magnificent dome is a living testimony to the genius of the Roman architects and as the building still remain undamaged, it offers a unique chance for the modern boulevardier to step back 2000 years and experience the glory that was Rome.
Pantheon and Hagia Sophia Pantheon and Hagia Sophia are two extremely outstanding architectural pieces of their times. They have been built according to the traditions of those particular times. The materials used to built these buildings and the purpose for which they were used are all very important aspects and have been briefly covered in this report. Pantheon The statesman Agrippa built pantheon in 27 B.C. Then it was completely rebuilt by the emperor Hadrian. The Pantheon is remarkable for its size, its construction, and its design. The dome was the largest built until modern times. The present structure was probably originally built as a temple for all the pagan gods. We do hear of it as being a law-court and a reception area for
The Dome of the Rock and the Pantheon are constructed similarly. The Dome of the Rock was even influenced by the Pantheon, built on a domed-central plan structure. While the two buildings look different in appearance, they have similar forms. They both contain geometric structures. In the front, the Pantheon has a porch, with a triangular top. Behind this porch is a cylinder base with a hemispherical dome
Arguably, one of the most influential structures of Rome was the Pantheon because of its immense size, and the use of concrete for the massive dome. This structure was named the Pantheon most likely because Pliny the elder, a spectator during the time of Vespasian 's rule saw this and referred to it as the “Pantheum”. Although the version of the Pantheon that Pliny the elder saw is not the Pantheon currently in Rome, there are many accounts of what it looked like, and why it was built. Agrippa’s Pantheon, the version that Pliny witnessed, or the original pantheon was built during the Pax Romana. This was a time of peace for the Romans, and to lead them in their endeavors was Emperor Augustus. During this time culture flourished because of there was no need to worry about necessities. From 31 BCE to 14CE the Pantheon was constructed to honor the Julian clan. The result of this was a south-facing rectangular building, with the Thermae of Agrippa, or the Roman public baths to the south. This temple was decastyle, meaning that is had 10 columns on each side. Pliny also mentioned that Diogenes of Athens was commissioned by Agrippa to create the caryatid columns. Caryatid columns are much like sculptures, in that they depict a person, but this person is standing in order to form a column to support another structure. To much dismay this temple was destroyed in the
While the Hagia Sophia and the Pantheon were built in and represent two different time periods and locations, they have some similar structural features as well as some resembling circumstances surrounding their prospective histories. Both of their unique construction is related to their different purposes and the symbolism behind the buildings. The Pantheon represents a time in which the Roman empire was booming with trade and commerce. There was a growing interest in art and sculpture as well as religion. There was also an emphasis on imperialism and the strength and power of the emperor. The transition from the Roman to the Byzantine empire took place under the emperor, Constantine and it happened around 330 C.E. He moved the capital from Rome to Byzantion and renamed the city Constantinople meaning the city of Constantine, which is modern day Istanbul. This was also a huge intersection in the east-west trade. He then changed the official religion of the empire to Christianity which created a major shift in structures, works of art, and lifestyle dynamics. The emperor was now seen as the head of the church, and in 391 C.E. all temples and forms of the pagan cult that dominated the Roman Empire were closed and banned.
Il Pantheon (Pantheon) “pan” means all, “theon” means God. It is a preserved intact Roman Empire building, located in the centre of Rome, Italy. It was built in 27-25 BC by Marcus Agrippa, and Emperor Hadrian rebuilt it in 125 AD.
Pantheon located in Rome, Italy is the most well conserved architectural structure of the Roman period. Pantheon, initially a roman sanctuary worked to committed to every one of the divine beings, however in 609AD., it was transformed into a congregation and stays as it. Initially worked by Agrippa around 27BC under Augustus' lead however it was caught fire during 80D, under Emperor Domitian's care then build it again, yet was struck by lightning and burned down again in 110AD. The present Pantheon was worked in 120AD and finished by Emperor Hadrian alongside Apollodorus of Damascus. (Hannah and Magli 2011)
The Pantheon is an iconic part of architecture, particularly in the mediterranean. Constructed in Imperial Rome, the Pantheon was an incredible piece that forever influenced the basics of architecture. A similar piece, contemporary to the Pantheon, would be the Dome of the Rock. Found in Jerusalem, the Umayyad caliph built the shrine in the seventh century to serve a function as an Islamic shrine. Being the oldest extant Islamic monument known to man, the Dome of the Rock is sacred to both the Muslim and jewish religions.While being in completely different cultures, the Pantheon and the Dome of the Rock share numerous similarities varying from their functionality to the characteristic style of the domes.
Agrippa, Augustus’ right-hand man, constructed this building as a temple to all the gods; however, a fire destroyed this temple in 80 CE and so Domitian built the reconstruction. The Pantheon we are familiar with has a significantly different design than the original one, and this is why this specific temple is so dislike to the rest of the Roman temples. Before it was burnt, the Pantheon stood in a podium at the end of a large rectangular court. The surroundings of this temple have changed in order to provide a unique experience to its visitors. For example, the temple has en enormous dome with a 27-foot oculus that opens to the sky. This oculus lets a shaft of light come through creating an emphasis wherever the reflection is. Visitors were driven nowhere but to the light at the center of the dome. This building was built for greeting foreign embassies, adjudicating disputes and hold court (Janson). Moreover, the Pantheon is extraordinary because of the potential and strength of concrete. Some other materials used in the process of building the temple include travertine, tufa, brick, and pumice. These materials varied in order to reduce its weight. The colored marble on the wall symbolized imperial authority. The sphere is though to symbolize eternity and perfection and the bronze panels symbolized a starry night sky.
The following section we examined was the Etruscan and Roman periods. Again, when looking at the specific religious buildings of the time one can see how accessible religion was. In the Pantheon we can see Romans barrowing from both the Greeks and the Etruscans. Here we see that polytheistic religion (though very similar to the Greeks) is treated differently. The entrance to the temple is more limited and reflects its Etruscan influences through the use of a “deep porch” structure (similar to The Model of Etruscan Temple that we also looked at). While this structure is somewhat limiting it does not mean that we see the same amount of religious exclusivity that we saw at The Temple of Amun-Re. The Pantheon,
The Pantheon is a temple to all the Greek gods and goddesses. The Pantheon was a temple in honor of the Olympic gods; in fact, the word pantheon is Greek for "of all the gods" It is the
The Panthéon is one of the most popular attractions in Paris. It is famous for a fabulous 19th century church and now a civil temple.