Pantheon In Rome Essays Examples

Pantheon in Rome is the Roman temple built by consul Marcus Agrippa during the reign of Augustus. It had been built after the Battle of Actium (31BC) and dedicated to all Roman Gods. Construction began in 27BC during the third consulship of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa. Pantheon was rebuilt in 126 AD during the reign emperor Hadrian.
Pantheon is located in Rome, Italy, in the Piazza della Rotonda. Pantheon had been built in the Campus Martius. The Campus Martius was the area for military training activity for both the army and people, so Pantheon was not only temple for gods, but also the symbol of Roman military glory. Word “Pantheon” comes from Ancient Greek “Pantheon” which means all (“pan”) gods (“theon”). Pantheon was two times rebuilt. It was caused by two great fires in Rome. First time, after fire in 80 AD the Domitian rebuilt it. Second time building was rebuilt after fire in 110 AD by the Hadrian. However, according to a recent re-evaluation of the bricks dated with manufacturer stamps, the reconstruction had begun during the reign of Trajan and ended during the reign of Hadrian. The design probably belongs to Trajan’s architect Apollodorus of Damascus.
Pantheon in Rome is a great engineering achievement of Ancient Rome. Even nowadays Pantheon’s dome is the biggest not reinforced concrete dome in the world. The diameter of the interior is about 142 ft or 43 meters. Columns in the portico made in the Corinthian style. The columns were made from Egyptian grey granite and are 39 feet tall and 5 feet in diameter. The pediment was decorated probably decorated with sculpture of eagle within a wreath. Niches in the walls at the back intended for sculptures of gods or perhaps for great Roman figures. On the ring of voussoirs that form the oculus concentrated 4.535 metric tons of the concrete dome. The top of the rotunda wall has a series of brick relieving arches built into the mass of the brickwork. All the arches that visible on the outside were hidden by marble facing on the interior.
Inside the Pantheon decorated with ocher-brown polychrome marble with parts of white marble. Interior of Pantheon is well preserved - because throughout its existence, the building was not closed and continued to serve as a temple. Nowadays Pantheon contains the tomb of the artist Raphael and a few Italian kings. The marble floor is still original ancient Roman. The oculus and the entry door are only natural sources of light. It is believed that in ancient times the surface of the dome decorated rosettes or stars, but there is no documentary evidence of this. Roman Pantheon is no doubt one of the greatest buildings of ancient history.