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Ancient Roman Architecture. Pantheon. Pantheon:. Original building built by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, 27-25 B.C.E. Destroyed by fire in 80 A.D. Rebuilt approx. A.D. 125 by Emperor Hadrian
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Ancient Roman Architecture Pantheon
Pantheon: • Original building built by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, 27-25 B.C.E. • Destroyed by fire in 80 A.D. • Rebuilt approx. A.D. 125 by Emperor Hadrian • Inscription from original building added: M AGRIPPA L F COS TERTIUM FECIT: “Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, built during his third consulate.”
Piazza della Rotunda – Stolen Egyptian Obelisk Photo: M. Griffin
Pantheon Exterior • Exterior: Looking at the exterior, you get a very different impression from that of the interior. • Cella (walled room to house the statue of the god): looks like a simple drum shape topped by a low dome. • Porch (Portico): square shape with three rows of columns in front of the entrance; topped by pediment.
Exterior View: Portico and Cella Photo: M. Griffin
Ground level: • has risen since ancient Roman times; • entrance steps are now submerged so that the whole building looks more short and squat than it would have in ancient times.
View of Pantheon Cella exterior with modern street level observable on the left Photo: M. Griffin
Pantheon: best preserved interior of any ancient Roman structure. • Saved from destruction when converted to church in 7th Century C.E. • Still in use as church today. • Unchanged from Roman Times: • Columns • Floor • Colored marble paneling of walls • Coffered ceiling (except for bronze or gilt covering)
Christian Altar Photo: M. Griffin
Christian Statue of Mother and Child (In niche probably once occupied by statue of Roman god) Photo: M. Griffin
Unchanged from Ancient Rome: • Floor • Columns • Marble Panels • (multi-colored) Photo: M. Griffin
Unchanged from Roman Times: • Coffered ceiling (with sunken panels)
Dome • Romans – highly skilled with concrete • Largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world; • Remained the largest dome in the world for at least a thousand years. • Concrete becomes thinner toward the top of the dome (20 ft. thick at bottom; 6 feet at top); • Concrete near the top may even be made with lighter materials (e.g. pumice)
Occulus (Eye) • Occulus – circular opening at top of dome; • symbolic of the sun; • open to the sky; • 143 feet above the floor; • 7.8 meters across.