Location
The Pantheon is a church, that was originally a pagan temple, is located in the heart of Rome, Italy. This building has stood the test of times, with it being one of the more well-kept Ancient Roman buildings to this …show more content…
Construction of the Pantheon did not begin until 117 B.C.E and was not dedicated until 126-8 B.C.E. Although the architect of the Pantheon is unknown, scholars know that the plans would have had to have been constructed by an individual who was able to calculate all the details of the design and structure, and come up with the models and drawings. So it most certainly would not have been Hadrian himself, even though his name has been thrown around, it seems to be very unlikely. The pantheon was originally a pagan temple that was built to worship all of the gods, but in the year of 609 B.C.E. the emperor of Constantinople gave permission to Pope Boniface IV to declare it as a Christian church. At his point in time, Rome has shrunk from the once booming city it was, to a small village. In this conversion of the pagan temple to a Christian church was very influential in helping the impoverished …show more content…
From the outside the Pantheon looks like a traditional Roman or Greek temple, but once you enter through the giant bronze doors, your mind is blown. The interior is completely round, without a single corner on the outside walls. One would be amazed by the amount of gray and pink granite columns that are soaring up towards the ceiling. With the total interior height of the Pantheon being 143 feet, and the diameter of the dome also being 143 feet, this building is massive. As one is drawn to the middle of this building, one would look up and see a 27-foot hole or oculus opening to the sky . The oculus allows for an array of natural lighting to enter the building and to light up the dome area. When looking around at the ornate decorations, one would notice the engaged pilasters and bronze grilles that decorate the attic area. Long ago the dome ceiling was once covered with bronze rosettes in its recessed panels, which most likely gave the dome a starry night sky appeal. A feeling most visitors get when visiting the Pantheon, is that when they get to the middle of the dome, it feels as if the dome is in constant motion and that it imitates the heavens. What tends to exaggerate this feeling is a very small rise in the floor at the center of the dome. Visitors have said they experience an uneasy feeling that is very similar to the uneasy feeling one experiences when