The Pantheon

The Pantheon, located in the Regione IX Circus Flaminius, is Rome’s oldest and most used temple. It was primarily used as a temple to worship all of the gods in Rome. Dio speculated that “for most interpretations: his suggestion that the dome is meant to resemble the Heavens has given impetus to those who would see it as a temple to the cosmos with all its deities”(Aicher). Marcus Agrippa first commissioned this temple in 27 B.C. after the battle of Actium in 31 B.C. However throughout the years, the Pantheon was destroyed by fires twice and then rebuilt again by the emperor of that time. The last update the Pantheon was in 202 A.D. by Septimius Severus and Caracalla.

The temple was originally approached by a flight of steps, where people would walk up to get to the front. The front of the building had Greek-style columns and the dome in back of the temple was considerably younger. There was also a pediment that was decorated with a relief sculpture, made mostly of gilded bronze. On the front of the building it says, “M agrippa L F cos tertivm fecit,” meaning “Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, consul for the third time, built this.” This temple was also specifically used to worship all of the gods in Rome. On the inside of the dome, there are about 140 coffers sunken into the stone. "The cupola, which is a perfect hemisphere, has the same height as the diameter of the cylindrical drum on which its sits"(Aicher). It still consists of two main parts, a traditional rectangular portico supported by massive granite Corinthian columns, and a huge round concrete structure made of brick on the outside. The entire Pantheon stands on a podium with steps leading to the portico entrance.

Since the Renaissance, the Pantheon has been specifically used as a tomb. Some famous people such as Raphael, the painter, and two kings of Italy are buried there. Now, it is used as a Roman Catholic Church dedicated to St. Mary and the Martyrs. They still celebrate Mass regularly inside the Pantheon. The base building of building of the Pantheon has about 19 foot thick walls to support the massive weight of the dome. Due to the very thick walls, the Pantheon is primarily a lot colder inside than outside. However, due to the center of the dome being open, rain typically gets in creating puddles of water inside the Pantheon. The Pantheon also has no windows, just a hole in the roof, which is circular like the dome. The pantheon walls are made of very thick brick, while the columns are made of marble. Finally, to lessen the weight of the dome, the architects carved the ceiling a certain way by using less dense stones and rocks. This limited the amount of force on the columns from the dome was pushing down on them.

All in all, the Pantheon is a must see to all those who are in Rome. If you are religious and love to go to church, this will be, by far, the best site for you to go to. You can also attend church their and receive Communion in Rome.




Works Cited
"Pantheon, Rome." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 17 Feb. 2011.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantheon,_Rome>.


Aicher, Peter J. Rome Alive: a Source-guide to the Ancient City. Wauconda, IL: Bolchazy-Carducci, 2004. Print.