Known as the eye of the pantheon, the dome is the largest unsupported dome in the world. When visiting the Pantheon, cast your eyes upwards to the magnificent dome above your head. This was made possible by the collapse of the Roman Empire and the introduction of Christianity, which spread from Western Asia and Europe into Rome. This was the first Roman pagan temple to be consecrated as a Christian church. In 609 AD Pope Boniface IV got permission from Byzantine emperor Phocas to convert the Pantheon into a Christian church, known as Sancta Maria ad Martyres (St. It’s late uses, however, can be said with some certainty. But again to make it clear, no one knows the original purpose of the Pantheon, we can only make an educated guess. Documents and records have also shown that Hadrian sometimes used the Pantheon as a place to hold court. Saying that, this purpose is only a guess as to why the Pantheon was built and what is was used for, other suggestions have also been put forward. These Gods played a significant part in Roman society, so it is no surprise that the Emperor would embark on such an ambitious build considering the intended audience.
Historian’s have interpreted this to mean that the Pantheon was built as a temple for the Roman Gods, a common belief held at the time. What was the purpose of its construction? And how has it been used over the years? Well, carved into the building’s concrete-like foundations are the Greek words pan theos, meaning “all gods”. The building’s inscriptions, whilst causing confusion in some cases, has also been useful in finding out what the Pantheon was built for. However, a clue shows it was made with a mixture that is similar to modern-day concrete, which means the construction methods were ahead of their time. An interesting thing about this building is that the exact composition of materials is still unknown. Unfortunately, due to the conflicting opinions of Hadrian and Apollodorus over the design, the emperor had the architect executed and continued with his own vision. This Pantheon remained standing, now almost 2000 years old. Finally, Emperor Hadrian commissioned Apollodorus of Damascus, a famous Greek architect, to rebuild this building once again in 120 AD. Emperor Domitian rebuilt the building, but it was then struck by lightning and burned again in 110 AD. Some historians claim that Emperor Augustus’s right-hand man, Marcus Agrippa, was the first to build the Pantheon in 27 BC, which burned to the ground in 80 AD. Legend says that the original Pantheon was built on the very site where Romulus ascended to heaven. The exact date of the Pantheon is a mystery. Whatever it was in the path, its iconic pillars and unique design has influenced countless buildings throughout history, across Europe and the Americas.
It didn’t help that for some unknown reason Hadrian included Agrippa’s original inscription on the rebuilt Pantheon, reading “Marcus Agrippa the son of Lucius, three times consul, made this”, causing much confusion over its origins. Today, the Pantheon functions as a church, with catholic mass regularly held there, as well as being a major tourist attraction. Remember, these are events that took place over 2000 years ago, a lot has happened in that time and the building is still standing. Saying that, other discoveries show that the construction of the Pantheon and it’s use are not that simple. Using our current knowledge of ancient Rome, scholars have estimated that the structure was completed around 126-128 A.D., during the reign of Emperor Hadrian. What we can decipher, however, is roughly when the build took place. Due to a lack of written records scholars have been unable to discover who designed the temple and how long the construction took. Originsĭespite its fame, there is a lot of mystery surrounding the Pantheon’s beginnings. Named in Greek, which translates to “honour to all Gods,” this landmark is well worth stopping by at. Famous for its striking architecture, with its iconic pillars and enormous dome, people are usually happy enough to simply gaze at its grandeur than question its history. It is the most well preserved Ancient Roman monument in all of Rome.
The breathtaking Pantheon, more than 2000 years old, is one of Rome’s most famous buildings. What is the Pantheon? Famed for its size, history and architecture, the Pantheon is one of the best preserved monuments of ancient Rome, situated in the Piazza della Rotonda.
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