The Pantheon is a building located in Rome, Italy that was originally constructed for the devotion of all ancient Roman gods and completed in about A. D. 128. Although it mainly served as a temple, it was also a place of business for emperor Hadrian who was the power behind its construction. Later on, it became one of the Roman Catholic churches for the Virgin Mary and the martyrs. Today, it remains to hold the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world.
It is often confused with another famous structure: The Parthenon in Athens, Greece. While their names are almost the same, many have also come to the conclusion that the Roman Pantheon was the improved assembly from the older Greek Parthenon. In fact, a trace of this Greek architecture can still be seen in the Pantheon. Before the Romans, public structures were mostly based on the Greek post-and-lintel technique that called for the use of columns in supporting horizontal portions of the building referred to as entablatures. Both structures made use of the Greek column styles with different orders – the Parthenon had the earlier Doric order while the Pantheon had Corinthian order. The Greek post-and-lintel technique that was used in the Parthenon can also be seen in the portico of the Pantheon. While Romans made use of Greek architecture, the construction of the monumental dome and arches of the Pantheon were uniquely Roman.
The biggest difference between the two was the dome of the Pantheon. The dome represented the advanced technology of the Romans over the Greeks at that time. They were only able to build their dome through their knowledge of vaults and arches. Also, they were responsible for the invention of a very crucial material – the concrete. The Parthenon was made up of heavy limestone and marble while the Pantheon was made up of granite and concrete. The dome was built with a specific combination for the concrete to make it lighter for the supporting columns. The concrete was made up of sand, lime and volcanic ash called pozzolana. The Roman discovery of concrete led to more complex structures such as basilicas, arenas, public baths and aqueducts.
While the Romans had their own unique effect in architecture, they respected the Greeks’ admiration of geometry they incorporated in the construction of the Pantheon. Aside from the grandeur of the dome, the space inside the rotunda is perfectly exact – the diameter of the circular floor is actually equal to its height. Along with the symmetrical columns of the Pantheon’s portico, it symbolizes the geometric perfection of the universe for the Roman gods with the creation of this interior sphere. With the dome’s oculus, it depict the overseeing of the gods and the light that shines through this represents life.
References:
- DuTemple, L. A. (2003). The Pantheon. Retrieved from http://books.google.com.ph/books?id=I319kQzBkGcC
- MacDonald, W. L. (2002). The Pantheon: Design, Meaning, and Progeny. Retrieved from http://books.google.com.ph/books?id=vjKDS_XoPXQC
