One of the most remarkable structures of antiquity - the Pantheon in Rome - is still an unsurpassed masterpiece of domed architecture, despite the fact that it has undergone many transformations in its history. Thanks to its excellent condition, in comparison with other ancient monuments of the capital of Italy, it allows visitors to imagine the true greatness of the Roman Empire without resorting to imagination.
History of the First Roman Pantheon
The fact that Octavian Augustus (63 BC-14 AD) "accepted Rome as clay and left it marble" is also a considerable merit of Marc Vipsanius Agrippa (63 BC -12 BC) - the closest friend and son-in-law of the emperor, statesman and commander.
Pantheon allows visitors to imagine the true greatness of the Roman Empire
In addition to the restoration of the fairly dilapidated Big Cloak, Agrippa, who had previously studied the art of architecture while serving in the Macedonian Legion, built baths and porticoes, set up gardens and widened the streets. And after 27 BC, in honor of the victory at Cape of Shares, 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 Julian clan: Jupiter, Venus, Mars, Mercury, Neptune, Pluto and Saturn.
Presumably, the building was erected on the model of conical Etruscan sanctuaries or had the traditional parallelepiped shape. Be that as it may, there were no similar temples in Rome before. Rites and sacrifices were held in squares, but only priests could enter the buildings. Now, however, ordinary Romans could attend the temple.
3D model of the Pantheon
According to the testimony of the Roman historian Dion Cassius, Agrippa was going to establish in the temple, in addition to statues of the gods, a statue of Augustus. However, the emperor considered such a gesture premature. Instead, a statue of Julius Caesar, deified after 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 structures, which, for example, were once proud of the Roman Forum. After the fire of 80, which happened just in time for Emperor Titus, who was completing the Colosseum at that time and needed free areas, the Pantheon had an extremely miserable appearance. Nevertheless, they did not begin to demolish it, but another fire at the beginning of the 2nd century. completed the destruction. Fortunately, the emperor in those years was Adrian - phyllallinus, a traveler and philanthropist.
By his order, the Pantheon was restored. However, the resulting building was completely unlike not only its predecessor, but also everything that was built before on the territory of the empire. To Adrian's honor, he did not ascribe to himself 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 statues of Agrippa and Adrian
The Roman Pantheon is built in the shape of a huge rotunda crowned 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 version he was Apollodorus from Damascus, according to another - Adrian himself) was to symbolize perfection on earth, created not by gods, but by people.
Before entering the Pantheon, Adrian ordered the erection of a triumphal arch. Thus, everyone who was about to enter the temple became a triumphant, almost equal to the gods themselves. We can say that Pantheon in Rome - This is a graphic illustration of the ideas of the European Renaissance, adjusted for the pagan origin of the building.
The floors of the Pantheon, laid out by porphyry, remained untouched by time
The temple fulfilled its mission until the spread of Christianity. Neither barbarians nor religious zealots raised a hand 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. 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). He later became a church again. Divine services are held on major holidays and at present. 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 outside and inside
It cannot be said that for almost 2000 years that have passed since the construction of the Pantheon, its appearance and interiors have remained untouched. The building is still faced with marble, but inside, in niches, brickwork is clearly visible.
Reconstructions (for example, replacing the three columns of the portico of the facade) were carried out both in order to maintain the building in proper form, and in order to "patch up the wounds" of the temple, which he received as a result of dismantling due to lack of funds from the popes for the construction of new structures.
So, the dome of the Pantheon from the outside and from the inside was originally trimmed with gilded bronze plates and decorations. But in the XVII century. when arranging the interiors of St. Peter's Basilica, or rather, there were not enough materials for the altar canopy (sculptor Bernini), and the plates with decorations were removed and re-melted.
Dome of the Roman Pantheon
A little later, Pope Urban VIII, in some way to "compensate" for the damage, 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 put up a proverb based on a play on words: "That the barbarians did not destroy, Barberini destroyed." The belfries were dismantled only in the 19th century.
The colored marble that reveals the walls of the Pantheon’s interior remained intact, as did the porphyry-lined floors. At the entrance, visitors are “greeted” by statues of Agrippa and Hadrian, which, as it were, balances the historical justice of 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 of green African marble has not been preserved.
Raphael’s grave always has fresh flowers
However, all this can be forgotten, once inside the Pantheon, which at the same time suppresses with its greatness and literally elevates the word to heaven. Five rows of caissons (28 each) around the circumference of the dome are almost a diagram of the celestial spheres. According to legend, visiting the Pantheon and seeing its dome, Nikolai Copernicus was finally able to calculate the parameters of the heliocentric system of the world.
On the circumference of the rotunda there are 6 semicircular niches with columns (chapels) and 8 protruding extensions with niches (tabernacles). In one of the chapels, the Italian king Victor-Emanuel II, “father of the Fatherland”, is buried, and in one of the tabernacles is the grave of Raphael, near which there are always fresh flowers.
How to get to the Pantheon in Rome: map and some tips
Log in 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 every year only increase. In this regard, the Pantheon, previously closed on Sundays, is now open daily. On weekdays and Saturdays - from 8.30 to 19.30, on Sunday - from 9.00 to 18.00. The Pantheon is closed to visitors on January 1 and December 25.
In winter, the influx of visitors is slightly smaller, but this does not mean that you do 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 to settle in one of the hotels in the immediate vicinity of the Pantheon.
If your hotel is in another part of Rome, we recommend installing a mobile city guide on BlogoItaliano on your phone. On the map of the guide, which works even without the Internet, not only the Pantheon is marked, but also many other useful places in Rome.
Pantheon interior looks very impressive
Rain, despite the hole in the dome, will not become an obstacle for inspection: there are holes for draining in the floors of the Pantheon. But an umbrella in cloudy weather is better to capture. But what you should not take with you is various drinks and food: the temple, after all. And as in any temple, visitors who violate the dress code are not allowed in the Roman Pantheon. Hands and feet should not be open even in the heat.
It is allowed to take photos and videos in the building, and the impressions of his visit will not only be remembered, as, for example, this can happen if the Sistine Chapel is one of the points of the plan for exploring Rome. But the phone will have to be disconnected.
Roman Pantheon It is only a few blocks away from other attractions of the historic center of the Italian capital, such as the Roman Forum, the Colosseum, St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums. Therefore, it is often included as a mandatory point in many sightseeing and specialized tours of the center of Rome.
Of course, taking a guide or an excursion to explore the Pantheon alone does not make much sense, but combining its visit with other remarkable places as part of exploring the city center is certainly worth it. Well, to learn more about excursions in Rome (both individual and group), you can contact Lela, to whom BlogoItaliano devoted a separate article to the Guide to Rome: his man in the Eternal City.
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Photos by: jackfre2, Mary Harrsch, boris doesborg.
