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 experienced many transformations in its history. Thanks to its excellent condition, compared to other ancient monuments of the capital of Italy, it allows visitors to imagine the true greatness of the Roman Empire without resorting to the imagination.
History of the First Roman Pantheon
The fact that Octavian Augustus (63 BC-14 AD) "took Rome of clay and left it of marble" is also a considerable merit of Mark 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 grandeur of the Roman Empire
In addition to the restoration of the rather dilapidated Great Cloaca, Agrippa, who 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 Actions, which approved the autocracy of Augustus, he built at his own expense the first Roman Pantheon on the Field of Mars, that is, a temple dedicated to the most revered gods of the Julius 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 shape of a parallelepiped. Be that as it may, there were no similar temples in Rome before. Rites and sacrifices were held in the squares, but only priests could enter the buildings. Now ordinary Romans could also visit the temple.
According to the Roman historian Dion Cassius, Agrippa was going to install in the temple, in addition to the statues of the gods, also the 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, which, for example, were once proud of. After the fire of 80, which happened at the right time for Emperor Titus, who was completing construction at that time and needed free plots, the Pantheon looked extremely miserable. Nevertheless, they did not demolish it, but another fire at the beginning of the 2nd century. completed the destruction. Fortunately, Adrian, a Philhellene, traveler and philanthropist, was the emperor in those years.
By his order, the Pantheon was restored. However, the resulting building was absolutely different not only from its predecessor, but also from everything that had been built before on the territory of the empire. To Hadrian'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 the statues of Agrippa and Hadrian
The Roman Pantheon was 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 by means of 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 inner 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 of the versions, he was Apollodorus from Damascus, according to another, Adrian himself) was supposed to symbolize perfection on earth, created not by gods, but by people.
Before entering the Pantheon, Hadrian ordered the erection of a triumphal arch. Thus, everyone who was going to enter the temple became a triumph, almost equal to the gods themselves. We can say that this is a clear illustration of the ideas of the European Renaissance, adjusted for the pagan origin of the building.
The floors of the Pantheon, lined with porphyry, remained untouched by time.
The temple fulfilled its purpose until the spread of Christianity. Neither barbarians nor religious fanatics raised their hands 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.
From the 14th century The Roman Pantheon began to serve as a fortress. The times were turbulent, and the walls of the building were almost impregnable (their thickness is more than 6 m, and the depth of the foundation is 7.3 m). It later became a church again. Divine services are held on major holidays and at the present time. During prayers 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 inside and out
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 intact. The building is still faced with marble, but inside, in 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 lack of funds from the popes for the construction of new buildings.
So, the dome of the Pantheon outside and inside was originally trimmed 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 “compensate” the damage in some way, ordered Bernini to erect 2 bell towers along the edges of the pediment. The mocking Romans immediately called them "donkey ears", and about the pope they formed a proverb based on a play on words: "What the barbarians did not destroy, the Barberini destroyed." The bell towers were dismantled only in the 19th century.
The colored marble that lined the interior walls of the Pantheon remained intact, as did the porphyry floors. At the entrance, visitors are “greeted” by the statues of Agrippa and Hadrian, which, as it were, balances 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 been preserved either.
Raphael's grave always has fresh flowers
However, you can forget about all this when you get inside the Pantheon, which at the same time suppresses with its grandeur and literally elevates to heaven. Five rows of caissons (28 in each) along the circumference of the dome - this is 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 outbuildings with niches (tabernacles). In one of the chapels, the Italian king Victor Emmanuel II, the “father of the Fatherland”, is buried, and in one of the tabernacles there is the grave of Raphael, near which there are always fresh flowers.
Entrance to Roman Pantheon free. And, of course, the crowds who want to admire the interiors of the temple or pay tribute to the memory of Raphael are only increasing every year. In this regard, the Pantheon, previously closed on Sundays, is now open daily. 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 at the entrance. So in any case, it is better to come to the opening, in the morning, or settle 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 drain holes in the floors of the Pantheon. But in cloudy weather it is better to grab an umbrella. But what you should not take with you is various drinks and food: the temple is after all. And as in any temple, visitors who violate the dress code are not allowed into the Roman Pantheon. Hands and feet should not be open even in the heat.
The Roman Pantheon is one of the most impressive buildings in Rome. In addition, this is almost the only building of Ancient Rome that has survived to this day almost unchanged.
The Pantheon is a temple dedicated to all gods.
The first temple on this site in Rome was built in 27 BC. e. Mark Vipsanius Agrippa, commander and companion of Emperor Augustus. After the fire, the Pantheon was completely rebuilt in 118-128. under Emperor Hadrian. It was he who ordered the old inscription to be made on the facade of the new Pantheon: “Mark Agrippa, son of Lucius, consul for the third time, built it.”
Architectural features of the Pantheon
The entrance to the Roman Pantheon is decorated with a solemn portico with columns in the Greek style, which stand in two rows. All columns are made of red Egyptian granite and Greek marble and are monolithic.
The dome rests on a rotunda, the walls of which consist of eight niches, interconnected by a multi-tiered arcade, laid with bricks. Interior decoration typical of ancient Rome.
The dome of the Roman Pantheon was made of concrete filled with rubble and pumice stone; the upper part of the dome is made of pumice concrete. This dome is the largest concrete structure so far.
The walls of the Pantheon are decorated with marble. Niches were made in them, in which statues of ancient gods stood.
The floor is paved marble slabs. In the center, there are drains for water, which, during rain, enters the temple through a light hole in the dome.
There are no windows in the Roman Pantheon. But the building has good natural ventilation. It does not feel damp even in rainy winter. Plus, it has great acoustics. More than two thousand people can be in the Pantheon.
Pantheon - Christian church
This miracle was preserved due to the fact that at the beginning of the 6th century, Pope Boniface IV decided that the Pantheon, which stood on the former Field of Mars in Rome among the ruins, would be suitable for building a church in it. In 609, the Church of the Holy Virgin Mary and All the Martyrs was consecrated in it.
Almost all the Roman priests were present for the solemn consecration of the church. However, in the Middle Ages, people were in constant fear, fueled by the Christian church. Therefore, at the celebration, people saw frightened demons escaping through a round hole in the dome.
Pantheon - tomb
In 1520 he was buried in the Pantheon.
Also buried in the Roman Pantheon are Victor Emmanuel II and Umberto I, the first and second kings of United Italy.
Now in front of the Pantheon stands an Egyptian obelisk, which in antiquity was in the temple of Isis on the Field of Mars.
Literally on every corner you can get in touch with history. The unique Roman monument - Pantheon (Pantheon), the blessed "Temple of all gods" - became a model of unsurpassed engineering thought of the architects of Ancient Rome.
Milestones in the history of the Pantheon
Initially, the majestic building in Piazza della Rotonda served as a pagan sanctuary. IN ancient times here they worshiped the main ancient Roman gods and sacrificed animals. Agrippa, son-in-law of Emperor Augustus, erected the building of the Pantheon in 27 BC. Then the building was square. A huge fire in 80 almost destroyed the temple. Under Domitian, it was restored, but in 110 it burned down again. The modern Pantheon was built at the beginning of the 2nd century under Emperor Hadrian on the site of the previous one.
Emperor Phocas gave the Pantheon to Pope Boniface IV in 608. In 609, the pagan temple was consecrated as christian church in honor of Saint Mary and the Martyrs. The remains of the first Christians were transferred here from the Roman catacombs. The consecration took place on November 1st.
The Pantheon has hardly been touched by time. It still looks grandiose and majestic today. Millions of tourists and pilgrims flock to it from all over the world. The ancient Roman "Temple of all gods" - the Tomb of the great citizens of Italy.
Building architecture
In 118-25 years. AD (already under Emperor Hadrian ) The Pantheon was rebuilt and reconstructed by adding a rotunda. This part of the building was covered with a hemispherical dome 43 meters in diameter. The dome was made of brick and concrete. In the center of the vault, the architect provided a hole for lighting - the “oculus”. During the daytime, a column of light passed through this round opening (9 meters in diameter), giving the interior space a special spiritual look.
The height of the rotunda, together with the dome, was also 43 meters. This ratio made the appearance of the building surprisingly proportional. Powerful walls (their thickness is 6 m) reliably supported the heavy domed structure. The entrance portal framed a portico with 16 massive columns. The front facade of the building overlooked Piazza della Rotonda, where a small Egyptian obelisk still stands today.
On the tympanum of the temple there is a solemn inscription in Latin glorifying the name of Mark Agrippa, who built the first Pantheon.
Inner space
The inner space of the temple amazes those who came for the first time with its huge size. The interior of the Pantheon contrasts sharply with the emphatically ascetic exterior of the building.
Two thousand people are placed under the dome of the Pantheon at the same time. The vast space is not disturbed by supports and other load-bearing elements. The grandiose dome looks like a vault of heaven. A luminous hole in the center is surrounded by concentric rows of square niches-caissons, creating the illusion of infinity. Caisson niches facilitate the construction of the dome.
The entire round wall of the rotunda is also permeated with voids invisible to the eye. The inner wall is divided into two tiers. In the lower tier, six high niches are symmetrically arranged, decorated with pilasters and separated from the main room by columns. Between them in small niches are statues. The upper tier of the wall is separated by an entablature. It has rows of shallow niches separated by pilasters.
The internal marble decoration of the walls has not been preserved. The bronze sculptural decorations on the tympanum of the portico were also lost (the scene of the battle of the gods with the titans was depicted there). In the 17th century, at the behest of Pope Urban VIII, the bronze roofing of the portico was removed. It was used to create a canopy in St. Peter's Basilica.
The Roman Pantheon served as a demonstrative example of centric-domed architecture for the buildings of the following centuries.
Burial place of great people
The ancient temple also became a tomb. Italian rulers of different times are buried here: Queen Margherita of Savoy, King Victor Emmanuel II, King Umberto I. In a modest marble niche, under a laurel wreath, lies the brilliant artist of Italy - Rafael Santi from Urbino. Even during his lifetime, he expressed a desire to be buried in the Pantheon. The great Raphael lived only 37 years.
The name "pantheon" has now become a household name. This word means a solemn tomb - a mausoleum where worthy sons of the people are buried.
Pantheon (Рantheon) - the famous temple of all the gods in Rome, one of the iconic monuments of the Eternal City, of worldwide importance, and one of the most mysterious structures on our planet. This is the best preserved architectural creation of Ancient Rome, a symbol of the greatness of the Roman Empire.
It is not known exactly when and how the Pantheon was built. It is generally accepted that its construction was completed by 126 AD. This conclusion was made on the basis of the study of surviving documents by logical reasoning. exact dates not in the documents. The 2nd century AD is considered the heyday of the architecture of Ancient Rome, and the Pantheon is the crowning achievement of the architects of that time.
Before beginning of VII centuries, the Pantheon was a pagan temple of Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Pluto, Neptune, Saturn and Mercury. That is, after all, it was not dedicated to all the gods, but only to 7 chosen ones. In 608, the pagan temple was saved from destruction by its transformation into a Christian one. The Church of Saint Mary and the Martyrs (Santa Maria ad Martires) was consecrated by Pope Boniface. The name of the temple was in honor of the relics of Christian martyrs, who were transferred here from the catacombs of Rome. Sometimes the Pantheon is called the rotunda of St. Mary (Santa Maria Rotonda).
The temple was built during the reign of Emperor Hadrian on the site of the collapsed first Pantheon. The first temple was built in 27-25 BC under the emperor Mark Vipsanias Agrippa and repeatedly suffered from fires caused by lightning strikes. Agrippa's pantheon was facing south and had a rectangular shape.
The builders of the new Pantheon kept the name of the founder on the pediment of the building. The Latin inscription reads: "M. AGRIPPA L F COS TERTIVM FECIT" (Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, elected consul for the third time, erected this).
The current Pantheon is oriented to the north, and its dimensions are much larger than the temple that existed before it. Initially, the building stood on a podium, to which 8 steps led. But over the many centuries of the existence of the temple, the ground level around it has risen, as a result, today the temple is located in a shallow depression. In addition, the Pantheon stands at the lowest point in Rome, which is periodically flooded, but even this did not reduce the structural strength of the structure ...
In 202, during the reign of Septimius Severus and his son Caracalla, the Roman Pantheon was restored. An inscription was carved on the architrave: “Emperor Caesar Lucius Septimius Severus Pius Pertinax of Arabia, Adiabene, Parthia, the greatest, Great Pontiff, 10 times tribunes, 11 times emperor, 3 times consul, Father of the fatherland, proconsul, and Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Pius Felix August, 5 times tribune, consul, proconsul, the Pantheon, damaged by time, was restored with all diligence.
The construction of the Pantheon is unique. The dome with the walls of a brick-concrete rotunda forms a single shell. The centric form of the building is characteristic of the pagan temples of ancient Italy. The walls of the rotunda are more than 6 meters thick and are set on a massive foundation. The diameter of the dome and the height of the rotunda are the same, so the interior of the temple can accommodate a full sphere - an ideal shape symbolizing the image of the Universe. The concrete hemispherical dome of the Pantheon has a diameter of 43.5 meters and weighs about 5,000 tons. The dome is covered with gilded bronze plates.
The name of the architect who built the Pantheon is not known for certain. Presumably, Apollodorus from Damascus, an engineer, architect, designer and sculptor of the 2nd century AD, took part in the construction of the temple.
The secret of the concrete from which the dome of the Pantheon is made has been lost. The dome consists of circles, which are clearly visible on the coffered ceiling. Previously, the ceiling was gilded. The dome of the temple personifies the vault of heaven, illuminated by the main celestial body - the Sun.
Another incredible fact about the Pantheon is that its dome is not reinforced!!! And the thickness of the dome is 1.2 meters!
The composition of concrete varies at different levels. On the lower belts, the filler is travertine chips, and on the upper belts - tuff and light pumice. However, concrete of variable hardness and density at the beginning of our era? There are researchers who believe that aliens cast the dome, and the Pantheon itself is nothing more than a powerful supermagnetron. And the Romans say that the dome of the temple was cast on a huge pile of garbage piled inside the building under construction. Then, the garbage was instantly taken away and removed by the inhabitants of the city, because for the speed of cleaning, gold coins were mixed into it.
Modern science claims that the life of concrete is a maximum of 600 years, and brickwork is even less. There is no reasonable explanation for how the Pantheon has stood for 2000 years. Many researchers believe that the Pantheon is much younger, since the information in the surviving documents is fragmentary, there is no clear line of existence of this monument through the ages...
In the center of the dome is the "Eye of the Pantheon" (oculus) - a round hole with a diameter of 9 meters. Daylight enters the temple through the oculus. Legend has it that the hole (Oculus) was formed when a church mass began in the temple. Evil forces couldn't stand the sound divine liturgy and urgently left the Sacred Place, destroying the upper part of the dome. In general, you can write more than one article about the legends that envelop the Pantheon! And if you consider how many legends were invented by the Romans to attract tourists, then enough for a book.
There is an assumption that the Pantheon temple was a sundial and at the same time an astronomical observatory. Every year on the day of the summer solstice on June 21 at noon, the sun passes through the Eye of the Pantheon and illuminates with a beam of light all those entering the main door of the temple. By the way, in ancient chronicles, the word “aedes” (temple) was never used in relation to the Pantheon, but simply “Pantheum”. Also, the orientation of the building to the north is extremely unusual for a temple. Was the Pantheon really a temple?
The Pantheon has a special drainage system to drain rainwater. The floor is made slightly convex under the oculus, the water flows into the drain holes, and then goes into the underground drain system.
The entrance to the Pantheon is decorated with a massive portico adorned with two rows of tall Corinthian columns. The columns are 14 meters high, 1.5 meters in diameter, and each weighs 60 tons. The columns and pediment of the Pantheon are made of large stone blocks, which were cut down in the quarries of Egypt. Delivery of such columns to the construction site even today, with the most powerful equipment, is an incredibly difficult task.
The pediment of the Pantheon was previously decorated with bronze figures, statues and decorative elements, presumably the work of Diogenes of Athens. In the 17th century, all bronze decorations from the facade were removed and used by the architect Bernini in the construction of St. Peter's Basilica by order of Pope Urban VIII. Even the bronze coffered ceiling of the portico was dismantled and then melted down.
At the same time, by order of the Pope, Bernini, in order to give the temple a more Christian look, built two awkward bell towers at the top, nicknamed by the Romans "Bernini's donkey ears." Ears The bell towers adorned the Pantheon for 200 years, then they were demolished. Earlier, in 1270, an attempt was made to add a small bell tower to the left above the portico, but this was later also destroyed. The Pantheon does not tolerate additional decorations ...
In the space below the triangular pediment, you can see holes for attaching decorative bronze trim. Presumably, a symbol of power was attached here - a bronze eagle with outstretched wings, with an oak wreath in its beak.
The interior decoration of the Pantheon is well preserved. The floor and walls of the rotunda are made of multi-colored marble. It is impossible to believe that this is an original finish ... Many researchers do not believe it!
Directly under the opening of the dome, there was an altar on which sacrificial animals were set on fire. Acrid smoke escaped through a hole in the dome.
Seven large niches, alternately trapezoidal and rounded, were dedicated to the five planets known to the ancient Romans, as well as the luminaries - the Sun and the Moon.
The niches are separated from the central hall by Corinthian columns.
Earlier in the Pantheon there were statues of the seven most revered gods of Roman mythology. After the transformation of the pagan temple into a Christian church, all objects associated with paganism were destroyed.
Today, the Pantheon has statues of St. Anastasio, St. Agnes, Madonna del Cacco, St. Erasio, St. Nicholas, the sculpture "Coronation of the Virgin", as well as a group sculpture of St. Anna and Holy Mother of God. By order of Pope Clement XI, an altar and an apse were built in the Pantheon. In 1840, a choir designed by Luigi Poletti was added. In 1926, during restoration work, the Pantheon received an organ. It was installed behind the statue of St. Razius, to the left of the main altar.
The walls in the niches and chapels are painted with frescoes.
During the Renaissance, burials began to be made in the Pantheon famous people. Here, among other things, is the tomb of the genius of the Renaissance, Rafael Santi. On his tomb there is a statue of the Madonna and the inscription is carved: "Nature took care to take him out of life, because she was afraid that he would surpass her with his art." Next to the grave of Raphael - his bride Maria Bibbiena is buried.
The Pantheon became the first ancient Roman temple, inside which not only priests could enter, but everyone who wished to pray to the gods.
The Pantheon is located in the heart of Rome in Piazza della Rotonda. On the opposite side of the square was once the Temple of Neptune. Piazza della Rotonda measures about 60 meters from north to south and 40 meters from west to east. It is always crowded here, along the perimeter of the square there are cozy (and expensive) restaurants.
In the center of Piazza della Rotonda is the fountain of the Pantheon and an Egyptian obelisk of pink marble covered with hieroglyphs. This is one of two obelisks created under Pharaoh Ramses II for the temple of the god Ra in Heliopolis. The top of the obelisk is decorated with a bronze star - one of the symbols of the coat of arms of Pope Clement XI.
The fountain of the Pantheon is beautiful and has a very long history of modifications by various popes. I will definitely write about it and photograph the details of the fountain in more detail next time.
Throughout its existence, the Pantheon has never been closed and has always served as a temple. The visit has been free for 2000 years, but from December this year, an entrance fee of 3 euros is planned.
In the image and likeness of the Roman Pantheon, several temples were built in different parts of the world. One of these copies is located in Malta in the city of Mosta. The Temple of the Rotunda Bridge (Mosta Dome) is one of the largest cathedrals in the world.
