The Pantheon is the most mysterious of all the buildings of Ancient Rome. No one knows for certain when and especially how it was built. Any modern builder will tell you that this cannot happen, because it can never happen. And the Pantheon stands. It is believed that its construction was completed by 120 AD.
Such conclusions about the age of the Pantheon were made by official science based on reading the surviving chronicles. But in historical sources There is no exact indication of the date in the summer calculation accepted today. Those. certain logical chains of reasoning were built (correct or incorrect) and on their basis the completion of the construction of the Temple of all gods was attributed to 120 AD and the reign of Emperor Hadrian.
The Pantheon was once built as the Temple of All Gods, but has long since become the Church of St. Mary and the Martyrs. Entry to active churches is free, enjoy.
Audio guides available in Russian Strange lack of history of perestroikas
Wikipedia (I read the article in English, much less is written in Russian) strangely says almost nothing about the reconstruction and repairs of the Pantheon, but any building needs repairs, nothing lasts forever. Does the Pantheon last almost forever? Remember manorial estates Russia, built in a similar manner to the Pantheon using brick and mortar. What condition are they in? But they have only been abandoned for a measly 100 years.
The considerable age of the Pantheon conflicts with the brick walls and concrete dome of the building. Brick and concrete have a limited shelf life; modern construction science claims that the life of concrete is no more than 600 years. Think about the Venetian Campanile, because it collapsed in 1902 in a classic way— fell apart into separate bricks. Those. the bonds between the bricks weakened to such an extent that the entire structure literally turned into a pile of construction debris in just a few moments.
And the Pantheon is almost 1000 years older than the Campanile, according to the official historical version.
The Pantheon stands in a flooded area, any builder will say that this is very harmful for the building The oldest image of the Pantheon I found is from the 17th century. The picture is painted Dutch painter Golden Age Willem van Nieulandt II, born and permanently resident in Antwerp. Even then it looked abandoned, but it doesn’t take millennia for the building to grow into bushes; 10-15 years of lack of maintenance will be enough.
View of the Pantheon, Willem van Nieulandt II (lived 1584-1635) The greatest illustration of the changes in the design of the Pantheon is the following painting by Piranesi. In the 16th century, the architect Bernini, at the direction of the next Pope, built two strange bell towers at the top, popularly nicknamed “Bernini’s donkey ears,” to give the ancient temple a greater resemblance to a church. Two centuries later, they were removed.
Notice how the surrounding area has changed in the 150 years since the previous painting was painted. The houses came almost close to the temple. And they remain in the same proximity to this day.
View of Rome, Piranesi, 1761, kept in the San Francisco Museum Traces of reconstruction of the Pantheon, however, are striking, but for some reason nothing is reported about them. Notice above the portico that traces of the previous portico are clearly visible. Read anyone's story ancient building except the Roman ones, and you will see a long series of reconstructions and repairs. And the history of the ancient Pantheon is divided into three segments:
- The Pantheon is from the beginning of the first millennium, with fires, destruction and restoration by 120. Oblivion for almost 400 years.
- Then follows short episode with the closure of the pagan temple and the opening of a Christian one in the same building in 609. Oblivion for about 900 years.
- Then the story continues in the 16th century.
Total failure of 900 years. Something is clearly wrong here. 900 years is almost an eternity for a brick building. Nowhere is it reported that the Pantheon underwent a thorough restructuring. It is considered to be the best-preserved building of Ancient Rome, even the marble decoration of the interior is mostly original.
These intricate column capitals are also original.
Above the main altar Mysterious dome
The main mystery of the Temple of All Gods is its dome. A concrete, non-reinforced dome that is about 2000 years old??? Researchers report that the lower tiers of the dome are made of harder concrete than the upper ones. And pumice was mixed into the concrete of the upper tiers to lighten the structure. To this day, the dome of the Pantheon remains the largest non-reinforced dome in the world.
The thickness of the dome around the oculus is 1.2 meters, but when viewed from below you can’t tell.
Coffered dome and oculus It is curious that when we were there they told us about the unique dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, built by Brunelleschi in 1436, i.e. 1316 years later than the Pantheon. They told about the problems that the architect faced. They were afraid that the huge and very heavy dome would crush the walls of the cathedral.
Against the backdrop of the dome of the Pantheon, Brunelleschi's genius fades; had he never seen the Temple of All Gods in Rome and could not have tried to do something similar? But obviously he didn’t, although his biography says that he went to study the ancient ruins of Rome, but it does not specifically say that he studied the dome of the Pantheon. The dome of Santa Maria del Fiore is double to distribute the load, i.e. in terms of design, it is completely different.
Legends of the Pantheon
To begin with, I note that the Romans themselves recognize their skill in composing and promoting legends. After all, having heard enough beautiful stories Tourists will flock to Rome, one of the main sources of income for Italians. Therefore, Roman legends must be treated accordingly. But nevertheless, the stories below take place.
Roman legends say that the Pantheon was built on the site from which Romulus himself, the founder of Rome, ascended to heaven. And various Temples of all the gods have stood on this site since the founding of Rome. And that's not all.
They also say that to make the dome, the entire building was covered with earth mixed with coins. It was a kind of formwork and scaffolding in one bottle. And after the completion of construction, people were allowed to take the land from the premises along with the coins. They say that the walls were freed from the ground within 24 hours.
These legends say that it is not known how the formwork was made to fill the dome.
Amazing harmony of forms
The interior of the Pantheon has the shape of a cylinder, the height of which is equal to the radius of the dome sphere, and is 43.3 meters. There are no windows at all inside, except for a mysterious hole in the center of the dome, also known as the Oculus!
Drawing to illustrate the harmony of forms The oculus is very unique architectural element, I have never seen such a window in the ceiling anywhere else. Naturally, light and rain enter the room through it. The floor is made in such a way that rainwater drains into a special hole. It is obvious that during the initial construction, the ray of light penetrating inside through the oculus was assigned a significant role.
In the Niches, located around the circle of the temple, there were 7 statues of Roman gods, which were also correlated with the 7 planets of antiquity (Sun, Moon, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, Mercury and Mars.). And during the day, a ray of light went around only half of the circle and illuminated the statues of the day gods in turn. We can say that the Pantheon was an ancient observatory and a temple at the same time.
The lighting effect can be viewed on April 21, when the midday sun falls exactly on the metal grille above the doorway. The Romans celebrated the founding day of the city on April 21. On this day, the emperor himself stood at the entrance to the Pantheon, surrounded by light coming from within. This light put the emperor on the same level as the gods, the inhabitants of the Pantheon.
Burials in the Pantheon
Burials in the Pantheon also began in the 16th century, except for a strange episode during the repurposing of the temple from pagan to Christian. They say Pope Boniface IV ordered 28 cartloads of saints' bones to be transported from the Roman catacombs to the Pantheon in 609.
Currently in the Pantheon there are the graves of Raphael Santi (lived 1483-1520), architect Baldassare Peruzzi (lived 1481-1536), painter Annibale Carracci (lived 1560-1609), composer Arcangelo Corelli (lived 1653-1713), the king who united Italy - Victor Emmanuel II (1820-1861), King Umberto I (1844-1900). They began to bury the great people of Italy in the Pantheon only in the 16th century, and in the 18th century the French built their Pantheon in Paris and also began to bury the great people of France in it.
Burial of Raphael Santi In architecture, many imitations of the Roman Pantheon are known, but all of them were built no earlier than the 16th century.
Strange circles of red porphyry in the floors
The Temple of All Gods retains its original marble floor, consisting of a row geometric patterns, since ancient Roman times. However big circle on the red porphyry floor we saw back in St. Peter's Basilica, on which Charlemagne knelt when, on Christmas Day 800, he was crowned by Pope Leo III with the imperial crown. Then 21 more emperors knelt to receive the crown of the Holy Roman Empire from the hands of the pope.
The marble floors of the Pantheon have not worn out a bit in 2000 years; I think many of you have seen heavily worn marble floors and staircases in much younger buildings in your life. Or are the floors not original or is the marble in Rome of exceptional hardness?
Porphyry circle in the floor of the Pantheon There is a similar circle of red porphyry in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin (this is where the Mouth of Truth is located). It is believed that the basilica was built in the 6th century. Even the circle in the basilica looks older than the circle in the ancient Pantheon.
Floors in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin While I was looking for something about these porphyry circles in the floor, I came across information that in Hagia Sophia, which is located in Istanbul, there is the same circle. It turns out that Christian churches inherited from pagan temples the tradition of making such porphyry circles in their floors? After all, the Pantheon was originally built as a pagan temple.
Floor in St. Peter's Basilica In St. Peter's Basilica, emperors were crowned standing on a circle, in Hagia Sophia there was an imperial throne in this place, but what then did this circle mean in the modest Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin? Does anyone know the answer to this question?
Mysterious pediment
Only in the 17th century, by order of Pope Urban VIII, were some bronze figures that had stood there since the time of the Roman emperors removed from the pediment of the Pantheon. It is believed to have been an imperial eagle with ribbon. Urban VIII melted down antique bronzes to make cannons for the Castel Sant'Angelo.
The columns support a triangular pediment with the inscription “M. AGRIPPA L F COS TERTIUM FECIT", which translated sounds like: "Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, elected consul for the third time, erected this." It is the only fragment remaining from the original temple built by Agrippa, and it is believed that Hadrian left it in memory of his predecessor when he rebuilt the Pantheon after the fire.
By the way, the bronze letters of the inscription were cast again in the 19th century following the traces left on the pediment. Restoring drawings or inscriptions from traces (holes in the wall) left after their loss looks quite doubtful. There are a lot of holes on the pediment.
Strange columns of the portico
The 16 massive Corinthian columns supporting the portico weigh 60 tons each. They are 11.8 m high, 1.5 m in diameter and came to Rome from Egypt. These columns were pulled more than 100 km from the quarry to the Nile River on wooden sleds. They were floated on barges down the Nile River when water levels were high during the spring floods, and then transferred to other ships to cross the Mediterranean towards the Roman port of Ostia. There they were once again reloaded back onto barges and sent up the Tiber River.
Pantheon column base In St. Petersburg there is such a blogger ZigZag. He develops the theory that our St. Isaac’s Cathedral was built by “aliens,” and not, based on the facts that St. Isaac’s columns are made of monolithic granite and weigh 114 tons each. It was impossible to cut down, transport and process these giants in the 19th century due to the lack of modern technology. What then can be said about the granite columns of the Pantheon? After all, it is assumed that they were manufactured and installed much earlier.
The columns of the Pantheon, compared to the columns of Isaac, are much more roughly processed and damaged in places; damage was noted in the Piranesi engraving from 1761. Isaac's columns are polished almost perfectly, they only have chips caused during the Second World War, and there are also patches made during construction.
Another strange fact
In 609, the Pantheon became the first pagan temple to be converted into a church, and was therefore saved from destruction in the Middle Ages. Here I would like to ask the question: “The first of which set of temples? Who kept such statistics in those distant times and how did they survive to this day? Today it is the Church of St. Mary and the Martyrs.
About the fountain and the Egyptian obelisk in front of the Pantheon
There is a beautiful fountain in the square in front of the Pantheon. It was designed by the famous architect Giacomo della Porta in 1575 and made of marble by Leonardo Sormani. In 1711, Pope Clement XI ordered the architect Filippo Barignoni to design new project fountain, which would have included another pool made of stone, and an obelisk of Ramses II, located in the center on a pedestal with four dolphins at the base.
The base of the fountain on the Rotunda Square I would like to note the Popes’ love for granite Egyptian obelisks. In total, there are as many as 13 similar obelisks installed in Rome, many of them have hieroglyphs on them. Almost all Roman obelisks tell similar stories. First, during the times of Ancient Rome, the obelisk was delivered by sea from Egypt, then it adorned the capital of the Empire for some time, then it was found during excavations carried out already in XVII-XVIII centuries and installed on new pedestals. All obelisks were installed by order of the Popes.
Rotunda Square in Rome with Egyptian Obelisk Those. the fathers of the Roman Catholic Church do not see anything strange in the installation of pagan obelisks in their capital. For example, I would like to note that in St. Petersburg, in the Sosnovka forest park, wooden idols were destroyed literally in the spring of 2015 for religious reasons, although I, and most of the townspeople, never saw it as such. wooden sculptures, installed in a forest park, there is no pagan connotation. That's how different we are.
Or maybe the new chronologists A.T. are right. Fomenko and G.V. Nosovsky? And before there was Egypt too Christian country, of course, with its own national flavor, and on this basis the Popes decorated Rome with obelisks.
It seems to me that, after all, errors have crept in in determining the age of the Pantheon; perhaps messages about the reconstruction of the dome or the entire building have been lost.
It is curious that after restoration and close study famous sculpture The Capitoline wolf's real, not chronicle, age was established. It turns out that the sculpture was made in the 12th century, and not in 500 BC, as previously reported. It happens that ancient chroniclers wrote about one structure, and historians attributed these records to something completely different. Maybe after additional research the age of the Pantheon will be revised, and with it the entire Ancient Rome.
Although statements about the antiquity of a city or clan promise such privileges that it will not be easy to do something like that. The plaque in the museum next to the Capitoline Wolf was never replaced.
Very close to the Pantheon is no less. Firstly, its name is immediately surprising, combining incompatible things - ancient Greek goddess and the Holy Virgin Mary, and secondly, this church was the support of the Inquisition, it was there that numerous convicts pronounced their renunciations of heresy, and bonfires were laid in its courtyard. The temple houses one of Michelangelo’s works...
The Pantheon in Rome is a pagan temple of all the ancient Roman gods; this building is the embodiment of the power and strength of the Roman Empire. Later, Christians decided to turn the pagan temple into a Christian one and consecrated it.
The Pantheon is the only temple in the world that has survived to this day in almost its original form.
Excursion
For those who are going to Rome, we recommend the excursion “Ancient Rome - a path to the past.” This excursion will be an ideal journey into the past, after which it will be difficult to look at the city with the same eyes.
History of the Pantheon
Built by
The Pantheon was erected in 27 BC. The temple was erected by Marcus Agrippa, a relative of Emperor Augustus. Pantheon in ancient Rome- a structure unique in complexity in its time: the architect’s idea is progressive in our time. The complexity of the execution is also impressive: building a dome with a diameter of 44 meters 2 millennia ago is not an easy task.
Construction of the temple
Before the construction of the Pantheon, a round pool functioned on this site, but after the fire, the emperor decided to pay tribute to the gods and built a temple of all gods (it is from the pool that the Pantheon takes its rounded shape). The architect of the project was Apollodorus of Damascus, who decided to add an entrance in the form of a portico to the cylindrical building, thereby giving the building its current appearance.
Pantheon construction diagram
One of the most remarkable buildings of antiquity, the Pantheon in Rome, is still an unsurpassed masterpiece of domed architecture, despite the fact that it has gone through many transformations throughout its history. Thanks to its excellent condition compared to other ancient monuments in the Italian capital, it allows visitors to imagine the true greatness of the Roman Empire without resorting to imagination.
History of the First Roman Pantheon
The fact that Octavian Augustus (63 BC-14 AD) “took Rome as clay, but left it as marble” is also a considerable merit of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa (63 BC). -12 BC) – the closest friend and son-in-law of the emperor, statesman and commander.
The Pantheon allows visitors to imagine the true greatness of the Roman Empire
In addition to restoring the rather dilapidated Cloaca Major, Agrippa, who had previously studied the art of architecture while serving in the Macedonian legion, built baths and porticos, laid out gardens and expanded streets. And after 27 BC, in honor of the victory at Cape Actium, which established the autocracy of Augustus, he built at his own expense the first Roman Pantheon on the Campus Martius, that is, a temple dedicated to the most revered gods of the Julian family: Jupiter, Venus, Mars, Mercury, Neptune, Pluto and Saturn.
Presumably the building was built on the model of conical Etruscan sanctuaries or had the traditional parallelepiped shape. Be that as it may, there were no such temples in Rome before. Rituals and sacrifices were carried out in squares, but only priests could enter the buildings. Now ordinary Romans could also visit the temple.
According to the testimony of the Roman historian Dio Cassius, Agrippa was going to install in the temple, in addition to the statues of the gods, also a statue of Augustus. However, the emperor considered such a gesture premature. Instead, a statue of Julius Caesar, deified after his death, appeared in the Pantheon.
Pantheon in Rome: two thousand years of harmony
It is possible that Roman Pantheon would now be in ruins like many wonderful buildings that, for example, it was once proud of. After the fire of 80, which came at a very opportune time for Emperor Titus, who was completing construction at that time and needed free land, the Pantheon had an extremely pitiful appearance. However, they did not demolish it, but another fire at the beginning of the 2nd century. completed the destruction. Fortunately, the emperor in those years was Hadrian, a Philhellen, traveler and philanthropist.
By his order, the Pantheon was restored. However, the resulting building was absolutely unlike not only its predecessor, but also everything that had been erected before on the territory of the empire. To Adrian’s credit, he did not take credit for the idea of building a temple in honor of all the revered gods. And today on the pediment of the building you can still see the name of the first builder - Agrippa.
At the entrance to the Roman Pantheon, visitors are greeted by statues of Agrippa and Hadrian
The Roman Pantheon is built in the form of a huge rotunda topped with a huge dome. A portico with 16 columns leads into the vast interior. The temple is illuminated through an opeon (through window) in a dome with a diameter of about 9 m. The diameter of the dome itself is 43.5 m, the internal diameter of the rotunda is also 43.5 m, and the height of the entire structure is 42.7 m.
Such a harmonious design, according to the architect (according to one version, he was Apollodorus of Damascus, according to another, Hadrian himself) was supposed to symbolize perfection on earth, created not by gods, but by people.
Before the entrance to the Pantheon, Adrian ordered the construction and triumphal arch. Thus, everyone who was about to enter the temple became a triumphant, almost equal to the gods themselves. We can say that this is a clear illustration of ideas European Renaissance, adjusted for pagan origin buildings.
The Pantheon's porphyry floors remain untouched by time.
The temple fulfilled its purpose until the spread of Christianity. Neither barbarians nor religious fanatics raised their hand to destroy the Pantheon in Rome, and on November 1, 609 it was consecrated by Pope Boniface IV and became the parish church of St. Mary and the Martyrs. Since then, on November 1, Christians began to celebrate All Saints' Day.
Since the 14th century The Roman Pantheon began to serve as a fortress. The times were turbulent, and the walls of the building were practically impregnable (their thickness was more than 6 m, and the depth of the foundation was 7.3 m). Later it became a church again. Divine services are held on major holidays even today. During prayer services from the “eye of God”, the opeon in the dome, the servants drop rose petals, which symbolizes the descent of the Holy Spirit.
Pantheon in Rome outside and inside
It cannot be said that in the almost 2000 years that have passed since the construction of the Pantheon, its appearance and the interiors remained untouched. The building is still faced with marble, but inside, in the niches, brickwork is clearly visible.
Reconstructions (for example, the replacement of three columns of the portico of the facade) were carried out both in order to maintain the building in proper condition, and in order to “patch the wounds” of the temple, which it received as a result of dismantling due to the lack of funds from the popes for the construction of new structures.
Thus, the dome of the Pantheon, outside and inside, was originally decorated with gilded bronze plates and decorations. But in the 17th century. When arranging the interiors, or rather, for the altar canopy (sculptor Bernini), there were not enough materials, and the plates with decorations were removed and melted down.
Dome of the Roman Pantheon
Somewhat later, Pope Urban VIII, in order to somehow “compensate” for the damage, ordered Bernini to erect 2 bells along the edges of the pediment. The mocking Romans immediately nicknamed them “donkey ears,” and a proverb based on a play on words was made about the pope: “What the barbarians did not destroy, Barberini destroyed.” The bell towers were dismantled only in the 19th century.
The colored marble that lined the interior walls of the Pantheon remained untouched, as did the porphyry floors. At the entrance, visitors are “greeted” by statues of Agrippa and Hadrian, which seems to balance the historical justice in relation to the building. True, the bronze door leading to the temple is no longer related to antiquity: it was installed only during the Renaissance. The threshold made of green African marble has not survived either.
There are always fresh flowers at Raphael's grave
However, you can forget about all this once you get inside the Pantheon, which is both overwhelming with its grandeur and literally elevates it to the skies. Five rows of caissons (28 in each) along the circumference of the dome are practically a diagram of the celestial spheres. According to legend, after visiting the Pantheon and seeing its dome, Nicolaus Copernicus was finally able to calculate the parameters of the heliocentric system of the world.
Along the circumference of the rotunda there are 6 semicircular niches with columns (chapels) and 8 protruding extensions with niches (tabernacles). The Italian king Victor Emmanuel II, “Father of the Fatherland,” is buried in one of the chapels, and in one of the tabernacles there is the tomb of Raphael, near which there are always fresh flowers.
Login Roman Pantheon free. And, of course, the crowds of people who want to admire the interiors of the temple or pay tribute to Raphael are only increasing every year. In this regard, the Pantheon, previously closed on Sundays, is now open every day. On weekdays and Saturday - from 8.30 to 19.30, on Sunday - from 9.00 to 18.00. The Pantheon is closed to the public on January 1 and December 25.
In winter, the influx of visitors is slightly less, but this does not mean that you will not have to stand in line to enter. So in any case, it is better to come before the opening, in the morning, or to stay in one of the hotels in the immediate vicinity of the Pantheon.
The interior decoration of the Pantheon looks very impressive
Rain, despite the hole in the dome, will not interfere with the inspection: there are drainage holes in the floors of the Pantheon. But in cloudy weather it is better to take an umbrella. But what you shouldn’t take with you are various drinks and food: it’s a temple, after all. And like any temple, visitors who violate the dress code are not allowed into the Roman Pantheon. Hands and feet should not be exposed even in hot weather.
Pantheon - Temple of all Gods is located in Rome. This unique building has a huge historical significance not only for Italy, but for the whole world. History, description, architecture, address with the object displayed on the map and its operating time, interesting facts, ticket price - all this information is in our article. We will tell you: how to get there on your own, what rules you must follow when visiting, and where you can stay near the temple.
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From a pagan temple to a Christian one
It is an exception among traditional Greco-Roman temples, built in the shape of a clear rectangle. Its centric shape is reminiscent of Italian dwellings and sanctuary sites characteristic of pagan temples. Indeed, until the beginning of the 7th century. The Pantheon was known as a pagan temple in which the Romans asked for favor from Jupiter and Mars, protection from Venus and Pluto, protection from Neptune, Saturn and Mercury. All sacrifices to numerous gods were performed on an altar installed opposite the opening in the dome. To appease the gods, animals were burned on the altar. In 608, after the consecration by Pope Boniface IV, the pagan temple became Christian.
Pantheon architecture
The design consists of a harmonious combination of clear geometric shapes: a portico in the shape of a parallelepiped, a dome in the shape of a hemisphere and a cylinder of a rotunda. The portico, decorated with two rows of tall columns, completely occupies the area in front of the Pantheon, which creates the illusion of its massiveness.
The magnificent columns at the same time give the portico lightness and grace, masking the heavy and bulky cylinder of the temple. The rotunda walls are more than 6 m thick and are firmly set on a massive foundation, which is 4.5 m deep and 7.3 m thick.
The cylindrical wall is supported by eight pillars connected by arches. It is no coincidence that the diameter and height of the rotunda are the same. Ancient architects deliberately used such calculations that allowed them to mentally fit a ball into the space of the rotunda, half of which would be occupied by the dome. The construction masters of those times sought in this way to show a harmonious combination of a circle and a ball, symbolizing peace and eternity. The massive building, created from a ring of blank walls, is crowned by a dome that seems pressed into these walls.
Pantheon outside and inside
Initially, the temple was built for the purpose of making an impression when visiting its inner part. That's why interior decoration differs from the outside in great grandeur. The portico leading into the building is decorated with sculptures, and high under the dome, 140 caissons arranged in five rows have been preserved. The marble lining of the brick walls of the rotunda and the porphyry floor are also well preserved inside. The walls are divided into two tiers. The lower tier contains 7 symmetrical niches.
Deep semicircular and rectangular niches in the walls make it possible to lighten structures and diversify a geometrically closed space. Columns, pilasters and panels draw the eye to the huge dome, which crowns the walls of the rotunda and creates a complete harmonious image of the temple. However, it cannot be said that due attention was not paid to the external design of the temple building. Greek marble and Egyptian granite were used to make 16 gigantic columns at the entrance. Outside, the huge dome is covered with gilded plates, and the double gates are made of bronze, preserved from ancient times, and leading to the rectangular lobby, are striking in their height, reaching 7 meters.
Pantheon Dome
The temple of the gods is distinguished by the massiveness and round shape of the building, called the rotunda and topped with a dome. If you look at the dome from the outside, it will seem almost flat, but inside its enormous size is impressive. The diameter of the dome is 43.5 m, which corresponds to the width of the rotunda and is slightly less than the height of the building itself. From the time of construction until the 19th century. it was the largest in Europe and occupied half the volume of the entire building. Depending on the height of the dome they used different composition concrete. The lower tiers were erected using solid travertine chips, and for the construction of the upper tiers of the dome, a solution of lighter materials was used - crushed pumice and tuff.
The dome of the building is created in the shape of an ideal hemisphere, in the center of which there is a hole bordered by a border made of bronze. At noon, through a hole with a diameter of 9 m, the most large number sun rays forming a kind of light column. The dome, which is a hemisphere, combines the innovation of engineering ideas of ancient masters and classical architecture religious buildings. Carved recesses inside the concrete surface of the dome act as a decorative decoration in the form of 140 caissons and at the same time significantly lighten the weight of the vault, which weighs up to 5 thousand tons.
What is the hole in the dome for?
The hole in the center of the dome, called the eye, symbolizes the Sun. Since there are no window openings in the walls of the rotunda, only thanks to this huge hole does the building penetrate sunlight. According to popular legend, the hole was formed when the church mass sounded. The evil forces that penetrated the building of the Pantheon, unable to withstand the sounds of the divine liturgy, destroyed top part dome to leave forever sacred place. When animals were burned during sacrifice, a large amount of acrid smoke came out through the hole in the dome. At this time, the Romans prayed, calling on the deities and hoping that the deities would be able to hear them sooner and accept the sacrifice.
In rainy weather, despite the enormous size of the “eye,” water very rarely penetrates into the temple. However, to prevent precipitation from preventing parishioners from visiting the church and listening to Mass, drain holes for water were prudently installed in the floor. It is worth noting that competent engineering calculations of ancient masters created the “eye” in such a way that raindrops do not allow the constantly moving upward flows of warm air to pass through.
There are many legends and stories associated with the Pantheon and its construction. From those ancient times to this day, you can often hear from the Romans that the dome of the temple was built on a huge pile of rubbish poured inside the building under construction. To quickly get rid of the garbage after construction was completed, by order of the emperor, gold was hidden in it. As for the “eye of the Pantheon,” scientists have suggested that the temple served as a sundial. Indeed, throughout the year the sun illuminates individual parts of the temple in different ways, and on the day of the founding of Rome - April 21, the heavenly body brightly illuminates the entrance.
In those days, this phenomenon was quite symbolic, since the emperor, illuminated by the dazzling rays of the sun, was the first to enter the temple. There is an opinion that perfect shape dome prompted Nicolaus Copernicus to come up with the idea of the heliocentric structure of the universe, thanks to which the scientist even managed to accurately calculate and prove that the center of the universe is not the Earth, but the Sun. The Pantheon became the first Roman temple, into which not only priests, but everyone who wanted to pray to the gods could enter.
Who is buried in the temple
The Pantheon was admired by many great people. Michelangelo considered this temple to be the creation of the angels themselves. Raphael called the Pantheon a place that unites heaven with earth and gods with people, and dreamed of being buried here.
The temple of all gods has become a place where the bodies of many are buried famous people, among whom the master of painting Raphael was buried first, and later famous architect Baldassare Peruzzi, musician Arcangelo Corelli, sculptor Flaminio Vacca. It is also a tomb for crowned persons: Queen Margaret, as well as kings Umberto I and Victor Emmanuel II.
Where is it located and how to get there
Easily accessible by metro to Barberini station, tram 8 and many city buses.
Address: Piazza della Rotonda, 00186
The temple, built during the Roman Empire, welcomes visitors daily from 8.30 to 19.30. Only open on Sunday from 9.00. until 18.00. IN holidays receives tourists from 9.00 to 13.00. and is closed on Easter, January 1, and December 25. A visit to this unique attraction can be combined with a visit to other equally significant places: the Colosseum, St. Peter's Basilica, the Roman Forum and the Vatican Museums. Despite the daily work, it is not easy to get to the temple due to the large influx of people wanting to visit this legendary place. Even in winter, when the influx of tourists subsides, a queue forms at the temple. Therefore, it is better to come to the opening in the morning or stay in the hotel closest to the Pantheon.
Visiting rules
When going to see a sight, you should follow certain rules:
- Avoid stocking up on food and drinks
- Even in extreme heat, it is not customary to enter the temple building with bare shoulders and knees
- It is prohibited to use mobile phones
If you follow these simple rules, you can safely go to explore this unique temple. Fortunately, no one forbids taking photographs or making videos here. Plus, you don't have to pay to enter.
Where to stay – Pantheon Hotel
We recommend considering this particular hotel, as it is located just 50m from the Temple of All Gods. In addition, it is convenient to reach other attractions, for example, you can walk to the famous Trevi Fountain in just a couple of minutes. The hotel itself deserves special attention. The building was built in the 17th century. Its impeccable interior immediately immerses you in a pleasant atmosphere. Every detail is chosen here with elegance. The rooms have everything you need for a comfortable stay.
There are several room categories:
- triple room
- budget single room
- double or twin room
- quadruple room
Pets are allowed at no additional cost. There are shops of famous brands, cafes and restaurants nearby.
Augusta Lucilla Palace
50 meters from the magnificent Roman Pantheon
The Pantheon in Rome is an ancient temple dedicated to the ancient Roman gods and the embodiment of the greatness of the Roman Empire. It is believed to have been built in the 2nd century AD. on the site of a temple built in the 27th century BC. Marcus Agrippa. In the 7th century, the Pantheon was reconsecrated into a Catholic church. Today this achievement of antiquity is located in Piazza della Rotonda.
The Pantheon is a huge rotunda covered with a hemispherical dome with a diameter of 45 meters. The architects were able to achieve a harmonious balance between the height of the building and its diameter. Thanks to engineering calculations, the dome does not put pressure on visitors with its mass, but rises solemnly, like the firmament.
The height of the structure is almost equal to its diameter and is 42 meters. The main feature of the Pantheon is the hole in the center of the dome with a diameter of 9 meters, called the “Eye of the Pantheon”. Through it, air and light enter the temple.
Eye of the Pantheon
The inside surface of the dome is decorated with 140 caissons. These decorative recesses have not only decorative, but also constructive significance. Due to them, the weight of the arch was significantly reduced. It was estimated that the weight of the dome is 5 thousand tons. But as the height of the arch increases, its thickness and mass decrease. So, for example, the thickness of the concrete mass at the base is 6 meters, and near the Eye of the Pantheon - 1.5 meters.
Entrance
The entrance to the temple is emphasized by a portico of sixteen granite Corinthian columns. You can enter the temple through a Roman portal dating back to the Roman era. The walls on which the dome rests are lined with marble from the inside and divided into 2 tiers. The lower tier, in turn, is divided into 7 identical niches to facilitate the design.
Burial place of great people
The Pantheon is one of the few that has survived to this day unchanged. Throughout its existence, it attracted the attention of both artists and scientists, and ordinary people. considered him an angelic creation. (Raffaello Santi) wanted to be buried in a temple, which, in his opinion, united people and gods. Great artist was buried in the Pantheon. This event became a new stage in the history of the ancient temple. It became a burial place for great and famous people.
From an architectural point of view, the Pantheon is practically the only monumental structure that harmoniously combines grandeur and grace. Its appearance had a significant influence on the architecture of both its time and subsequent ones.
Despite the past centuries with their losses and gains, the Pantheon, as before, remains a true confirmation of the greatness of the Roman Empire.
Find a hotel near the PantheonA ticket is not required to visit the Pantheon, as admission is free. Opening hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., daily. There are the fewest tourists in the first hour after opening - this is the time we recommend our readers to visit.
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