Who built the pantheon in Rome. The Pantheon in Rome is the temple of all gods. Who is buried in the Roman Pantheon

The Pantheon is another important historical landmark of Rome, a visit to which is certainly associated with a tourist trip to the eternal city.

The ancient Pantheon is a pagan temple, which, during the heyday of the Catholic religion, was illuminated and acquired the status of the Church of St. Mary and the Martyrs. Thus, this amazing structure has experienced a new birth.

The Pantheon or Temple of All Gods is known not only as a magnificent example of architecture from the ancient world, but also as the burial place of Italian kings, and also houses the tomb of the famous Raphael. The structure has been so well preserved since ancient times that it did not even require significant reconstruction.

History of the Pantheon

The Pantheon was built in the 2nd century AD. on the site of an ancient temple erected by order of Marcus Agrippa in 27 BC. Consul Agrippa was a relative of the first emperor of Rome, Octavianus Augustus.

Temple of Agrippa

This was the first temple erected not in honor of one or two deities, as was done before, but in honor of all the main ancient Roman gods at once.

Another feature of the temple was that all citizens could enter the temple through the triumphal arch along with the priests. Before this, all rituals were held in the adjacent square, and only priests had the right to enter the structure.

At that time, the Pantheon worshiped such ancient Roman gods as Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Pluto, Mercury, Neptune and Saturn, for whom sacrifices were made in the form of animals. For these rituals, a hole was specially made in the building in the dome - an “oculus”, under which the altar was located.

Interestingly, the building was originally square in shape. It survived two fires and already in 80 AD. was practically destroyed, and a sauna pool was built in its place.

Temple of Hadrian

The Pantheon acquired the circle shape only in 118-125 AD. under Hadrian (Publius Aelius Traianus Hadrianus), who built a new temple on the site of the previous one. The creator of the project and the manager of the construction work was Apollodorus of Damascus. The spherical dome he erected became a real architectural miracle.

Church of St. Mary and Martyrs

In 608, Emperor Phocas handed over the Pantheon to the power of the church, namely to Pope Boniface IV, who illuminated the building and turned it into a temple of the Catholic religion. Of course, all the pagan sculptures of gods were taken out.

In addition, the pope ordered the remains of the first adherents of Christianity to be transferred to the temple. So the temple received a new name - the Church of St. Mary and the Martyrs. Under the patronage of Pope Boniface IV, the temple retained its original condition.

Medieval fortress

However, the Pantheon was not always used as a church. From the 14th to the 16th centuries it even served as a fortress. Its walls were so strong that they could withstand even strong military attacks. After a four-hundred-year period of decline, the building regained its status as a temple.

Currently

Today, this is one of the few buildings from the ancient Roman era that has been so well preserved to this day. It is impossible to come to Rome and pass by the Pantheon - one of the ancient symbols of Rome, which over the course of many centuries has transformed from a temple of pagan culture into a Catholic resting place for the famous inhabitants of the eternal city.

Pantheon architecture

The Pantheon has a unique architectural design. The thickness of its walls is 6 meters, and the dome is 43.3 meters wide. The shape of the Pantheon is carefully calibrated and built in such a way that its internal space forms an ideal spherical figure.

At the same time, the huge rotunda does not put pressure on visitors, but rises weightlessly in the form of a vault of heaven. The feeling of spherical space is further enhanced by the fact that the building reaches almost as many meters in height as in diameter - about 42 meters.

Pantheon Window

In particular, the uniqueness of the building's architecture concerns the windows. The fact is that the Pantheon has no windows in the usual sense. Light and air enter the structure through a single opening located at the top of the dome, called the “Eye of the Pantheon.”

The diameter of the hole is 9 meters. Since the only window of the temple is open to precipitation, the Pantheon has a special drainage system.

During pagan times, there was an altar under this hole, and its exclusivity symbolized the unity of all the ancient gods that the Romans worshiped before the adoption of Christianity. It is noteworthy that the statues of the gods were located in the ancient Pantheon in such a way that the light from the “oculus” alternately fell on each of them depending on the location of the sun at different times of the year.

Currently, in place of the statues of gods that once personified pagan culture, there are paintings and sculptures from the Renaissance.

Pantheon Dome

On the surface of the dome from the inside there are 140 caissons. They serve not only for decorative purposes, but also to reduce the weight of the dome. After all, the total weight of the arch is 5 thousand tons.

Moreover, the higher you go to the center of the dome, the less mass and thickness of the material. At the base of the vault its thickness is 6 meters, and next to the “oculus” it is only 1.5 meters.

At the entrance to the temple

When you approach the Pantheon, you will see a portico consisting of 16 Corinthian granite columns. You can go inside through a portal from the times of Ancient Rome. On the triangular pediment under the roof of the building there are holes in which the sculptural composition “Clash of the Titans” was previously located. The sculpture has not survived to this day because it was of pagan origin.

The doors in the temple are very heavy and powerful, dating back to the 14th-16th centuries, when the Pantheon served for defensive purposes. At the entrance there are sculptures of Agrippa and Hadrian.

The dome is supported on walls divided into two tiers. In the lower tier there are 7 equal niches that lighten the overall weight of the structure. The walls of the temple are lined with marble.

What to see inside

There are always a lot of tourists in the Pantheon itself and in the square near it, because Piazza della Rotonda is no less attractive and interesting than an ancient temple with a unique history.

Currently, the Pantheon houses not only unique paintings and sculptures of the 18th century, but also the remains of Italian kings - Umberto I, Victor Emmanuel II, Queen Margaret, as well as the tomb of Raphael (Raffaello Santi) and the tombstones of other artists - Carracci and Zuccari .

Legends of the Pantheon

Undoubtedly, there are many legends surrounding such an ancient monument of architecture and pagan culture. According to one of them, in order to build a dome, the structure was filled with specially even flooring with earth along with gold coins. Just imagine how many coins were accumulated to build a dome of such height!

After the work was completed, the emperor allowed the Romans to take all the coins that they could subsequently find. Thus, the coins that filled the space of the building disappeared from the Pantheon.

Another legend concerns the hole in the dome. Many suggest that it was not originally designed in the Pantheon, but was formed during the first mass, when evil pagan creatures tried to break out.

How to get to the Pantheon

You can get to the Pantheon by metro and get off at Barberini station, or by one of the many buses that travel around the center of Rome.

The Pantheon is located in Piazza della Rotonda.

Opening hours

The Pantheon is open to the public:

• from Monday to Saturday - from 9.00 to 17.15;
• on Sunday - until 17.45.
• on official holidays - from 9.00 to 12.45;
• closed January 1, May 1 and December 25.

It is best to come in the first two hours of the morning, when there are fewer tourists.

Entrance to the Pantheon

Entrance to the Pantheon is absolutely free as of 2019, the doors of the basilica are open to everyone. You can also take photos for free in the temple. You can also take an audio guide in Russian - it will cost 5 Euros.

Visit also

Next to the Pantheon is the beautiful Piazza della Rotonda, which attracts everyone to admire the unique structure. Street musicians often play in the square. Surrounded by houses of exquisite architecture, an ancient temple, the splash of a fountain and music, you can spend a stunning evening.

On the square there is a fountain with an Egyptian obelisk of Ramses II, which is surrounded on all sides by dolphins. The fountain is truly memorable, no less than the Pantheon. It was built according to the sketches of the famous architect Giacomo Dela Porta in 1575.

Excursions in Rome

If you want something more interesting than the traditional walk around the city on a map, then try a new format for sightseeing. In modern times, unusual excursions from local residents are becoming increasingly popular! After all, who knows the history and most interesting places of Rome better than a local resident?

You can view all excursions and choose the most intriguing one on the website.

The word "Pantheon" comes from the ancient Greek "Πάνθειον", which means "belonging/pertaining to all gods" ("παν-" is "all", and "θεῖον" is "belonging to the gods"). Roman consul of Greek origin Dio Cassius(author of “Roman History”; 155 – 235) wrote that this name was given to the temple either because there were an unusually large number of statues of various gods around it, or because of the similarity of its dome with the heavens. He assumed that "Pantheon" (or "Pantheum") was only a popular nickname for the temple, and not its official name. It is unlikely that the temple was actually dedicated to all the gods - most likely only to 12 gods or another specific group. The only pantheon built before this was the temple in Antioch (Syria).

Current state of the Pantheon

Godfray and Hemsall in the book “Pantheon: Temple or Rotunda?” pointed out that ancient authors never used the word “ edes” (“aedes” – temple as a building) and even in the inscription of Severius Severus, made on the architrave, simply “Pantheum” is used, and not “edes Panthea” (temple of all gods). In addition, Cassius Dion himself, practically a contemporary of the building, also did not explain the origin of the name by saying that the temple was dedicated to all the gods. Even the Roman historian Titus Livius (64 BC - 17 AD) wrote that a decree was issued prohibiting the dedication of temple buildings (or, perhaps, only their cells) more than to God alone, so that it is clear which god is angry if, for example, lightning strikes the temple, and also because the sacrifice was supposed to be performed only for a specific deity. According to Godfrey and Hemsall, the word "Pantheon" "does not necessarily refer to a particular group of gods, or indeed to all gods, since it could have other meanings... The word "pantheus" or "pantheos" could certainly be used to refer to a specific god … It should also be borne in mind that the Greek word “θεῖος” could mean not only “[pertaining to] god,” but also “superman” or even “magnificent.”

View from above

Ancient Pantheon, its description and architecture

After the Battle of Cape Actium in 31 BC. commander and son-in-law of Emperor Octavian Augustus Mark Agrippa began large-scale construction in Rome. The Pantheon Temple was part of a complex he created on his own land on the Campus Martius in 29 - 19 BC. This complex also included the baths named after him and the Basilica of Neptune. In all likelihood, this basilica and Pantheon were the private property of Marcus Agrippa and not public property. This explains the paradox that in a very short period of time the temple lost its original name and purpose.

For a long time it was believed that the modern building of the Pantheon was built under Agrippa, as this is written on his architrave. However, archaeological research, and mainly prints on bricks with dates 118 and 119, showed that the Pantheon of Agrippa, which had a wooden roof or no roof at all, was destroyed along with many other buildings during the great fire in 80. Emperor Domitian restored it, but in 110 it burned again after a lightning strike.

Pantheon from Piazza Minerva

Archaeological excavations at the end of the 20th century showed that Agrippa's Pantheon probably had a round shape and a triangular portico and, like the modern one, faced north. However, it is also possible that all the new finds were traces of the destruction of the second temple built under Domitian. In this case, the second Pantheon was round, and the first was as the Italian described it archaeologist Rodolfo Lanciani in the 19th century - in the shape of the letter T, with the entrance located on the narrow part and facing south.

Pliny was the only contemporary who saw the Pantheon of Agrippa and described it in the book “Natural History” in 77. From him we know that “also the capitals of the columns that were placed by M. Agrippa in the Pantheon are made of Syracusan bronze”, that “Agrippa’s Pantheon was decorated by Diogenes of Athens, and his caryatids, which serve as the columns of the temple, are considered a model of perfection: the same the same with the statues that are placed on the roof" and that "one of Cleopatra's pearls was sawn into two parts so that each of them could serve as a pendant in the ears of Venus in the Pantheon in Rome."

The ratio of external and internal facades

Probably construction of a modern building started in 114 under Emperor Trajan (r. 98 – 117) four years after it was destroyed for the second time. In any case, work on the new building began shortly after 110 and was completed around 126, when Hadrian became Roman emperor (r. 117 - 138). Could be an architect Apollodorus of Damascus(50 – 130).

It is unknown to what extent architects Emperor Hadrian used plans and diagrams of previous buildings. It is assumed that the same inscription that was on the first Pantheon was made on the architrave of its facade. This was common practice for buildings that Hadrian restored (the only building on which he left his own name was the temple of the divine Trajan). The purpose of this building is unknown - it could have been a temple, a reception hall, a place of dynastic cult of the Augustans, or something else. The “Authors of the Lives of the Augustans” believed that Hadrian dedicated the Pantheon to its first builder, but the modern inscription may not be a copy of the one made on the original temple, since Domitian left his name on all the buildings he restored, so there is no mention of Agrippa on the second Pantheon was. In addition, the letters of the inscription are extremely large for their time, and the widespread use of gilded bronze did not begin until after 17 BC. The inscription does not say to whom exactly Agrippa dedicated this temple, and it is also unlikely that in 25 BC. he introduced himself as “consul for the third time.” This inscription appears on coins minted after his death. The mention of the three-time consulship was a reminder that he, the only one of his generation, except Augustus himself, was awarded this honor. Whatever the reason for the change in the old inscription, the new one indicates that the purpose of the building after the restructuring could also have become different.

Model of the Pantheon and its surroundings from the time of Hadrian

Consul Dio Cassius(c. 155 - 230), who wrote the well-preserved Roman History, only about 75 years after the third reconstruction of the Pantheon, erroneously attributed it to Agrippa. He is the only writer more or less contemporary with the Pantheon who mentioned him in his book. Thus, for about 200 years there was no clarity either about the date of construction of the building or about its purpose. Cassius wrote: “Agrippa completed the building called the Pantheon. It received this name perhaps because among the idols with which it is decorated are statues of many gods, including Mars and Venus; but, in my personal opinion, it received its name from the vaulted ceiling, which resembles the sky” (53.27.2).

Because of the words of Dion Cassius, it became customary to consider the Pantheon a temple, although it orientation to the north was extremely unusual for a temple. For example, the entrances to Greek-type sanctuaries were oriented to the east so that on certain days the sun could penetrate inside, while Etruscan and Italic (pre-Romanesque and early Romanesque) were oriented to the south.

In the lower part of the drum (1) there are seven large niches (2), separated from the hall by pairs of columns (3) supporting an architectural belt, in which false windows (4) are made, not communicating with the external walls, but behind which there is an internal passage ( 5). In the third level of the “drum” of the dome, small windows are made that communicate with the outside world (6), behind which there is another internal passage (7). At the base of the dome there is a thickening in the form of seven concentric rings (8), which were originally decorated with marble, after which a narrowing begins (9), ending with the thinnest part with an oculus (10).

Modern history

In 609 the Byzantine Emperor Phocas handed over the Pantheon to Pope Boniface IV, who consecrated it as Church of St. Mary and Martyrs. It is believed that 28 carts of the remains of martyrs were removed from the Roman catacombs and placed in a porphyry-lined niche under the main altar. The transformation of the Pantheon into a church saved it from oblivion and destruction - something that most ancient Roman buildings suffered in the Middle Ages. However, it lost some parts, for example, all metal decorations were removed, over several centuries the external marble decoration was stolen (the capitals of some pilasters are now in the British Museum), two columns, one of which became part of the building adjacent to the east, were lost together with sculptures on the architrave. Under Pope Alexander VII (1655 - 1667), the pink one, missing since the 15th century, is in the third row on the left the column was replaced gray, and under Pope Urban VIII the leftmost gray column of the first row was replaced by a pink one - both were taken from the destroyed baths of Nero. Because of this, the columns look mixed up - in the first row, among all the gray ones, there is one pink one, and in the third row, among the pink ones, there is one gray one. Also, under Pope Alexander VII, the level of the square in front of the Pantheon was lowered - now it is lowest point in Rome, since it is located only 13.4 meters above sea level. The interior marble decoration of the Pantheon, in general, has been preserved, although it has undergone some changes.

The leftmost column is pink, although it should have been gray

After 1000 the Pantheon was called " Church of Santa Maria Rotonda" This name was also assigned to the square in front of it and remains to this day.

In 1153, Pope Anastasius IV built a palace for himself adjacent to the Pantheon. Under Pope Eugene IV (1431 – 1447), the temple was restored.

In 1270, a small Bell tower.

Pantheon with one bell tower in the 16th century

When the papal court moved to Rome, conflicts began between the most influential families (especially between the Colonna and Orsini). The struggle for power led to the fact that many buildings, including the Pantheon, were turned into fortresses inside the city. So, for example, the Colonna family owned, the Orsini family owned, and the Frangipani family owned. When the pope's residence was returned to Rome, the restoration of the ancient Pantheon began.

Since the Renaissance (beginning of the 14th century), the temple began to be used as tombs. The artists Raphael and Annibale Carracci, the composer Arcangelo Corelli and the architect Baldassare Peruzzi were buried in the Pantheon, and in the 20th century, two kings of Italy. In the 15th century, the temple was decorated with frescoes (see the section on chapels and porticos below).

Side view of the Pantheon

At the beginning of the 17th century, Pope Urban VIII (1623 - 1644) removed bronze portico roof, and replaced the medieval bell tower with Bernini's famous twin towers, popularly called "donkey ears", which were destroyed only in 1882. The bronze was melted down and used to bombard the Castel Sant'Angelo, and the remains were taken over by the Apostolic Chamber. There is a version that Bernini used it to create the famous one in St. Peter's Basilica, however, it is more likely that it was made from bronze delivered from Venice. An anonymous Roman satirist wrote about the Pope libel“quod non fecerunt barbari fecerunt Barberini,” that is, “what the barbarians (barbari) did not do, Barberini completed (Barberini is the surname of Pope Urban VIII).”

Pantheon with two bell towers built by Bernini

In 1926, during the restoration of the Roman Pantheon from 1925 to 1933, a organ. Its sound comes from behind the statue of Saint Razius, standing in the portico to the left of the main altar.

Architecture

The Roman Pantheon consists of two main parts– a columned portico and a round rotunda (drum with a dome). Although it is often depicted as a free-standing temple, a building is attached to its rear façade to support it. It does not communicate with the Pantheon.

Portico

Portico size is 34.2 x 15.62 meters. It has 16 columns without flutes, which divide it into three passages - a central one and two side ones. The Corinthian capitals, column bases and part of the architrave are made of Pentelic Greek white marble.

Corinthian capital of the portico of the Pantheon

Side portico

The floor in the portico, as well as inside the Pantheon, is made of multi-colored marble, laid out in the shape of circles and squares. Initially, the floor was one meter higher than street level, and there was a five step staircase, however, during one of the reconstructions, the ground level in front of the temple was raised, and the steps were underground. During the last restoration of the Pantheon they were opened, but then covered up again.

Floor in the portico of the Pantheon

Gable(the triangular space above the entrance) of the portico was decorated with relief sculptures, probably made of gilded bronze. Judging by the holes marking the places where the relief was attached, it was an eagle with a laurel wreath, from which ribbons developed. The eagle was a symbol of apotheosis - deification or transformation of a mortal into a god, and the ribbon was a symbol of the divine kingdom.

Double inscription on the architrave

Inscription on the architrave under the pediment:
M AGRIPPA L F COS TERTIVM FECIT
(Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, consul three times, created [this building])
The length of this inscription is 22 meters and the height is 70 centimeters. The letters were made of metal in 1887 and inserted into the original gaps cut out for them.

In 202, the Pantheon building was renovated by Emperor Septimius Severus and his son Caracalla, as can be seen from second inscription, located under the big one. Now these two lines are barely distinguishable:

IMP · CAES · L · SEPTIMIVS · SEVERVS · PIVS · PERTINAX · ARABICVS · ADIABENICVS · PARTHICVS · MAXIMVS · PONTIF · MAX · TRIB · POTEST · X · IMP · XI · COS · III · P · P · PROCOS
ET IMP · CAES · M · AVRELIVS · ANTONINVS · PIVS · FELIX · AVG · TRIB · POTEST · V · COS ·PROCOS · PANTHEVM · VETVSTATE · CORRVPTVM · ​​CVM · OMNI · CVLTV · RESTITVERVNT
(Emperor Caesar Lucius Septimius Severus Pius Pertinax, conqueror of Arabia, conqueror of Adiabene, great conqueror of Parthia, great pontiff, 10 times tribune, 11 times emperor, 3 times consul, father of the fatherland, proconsul, and Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Pius Felix Augustus, 5 Once tribune, consul, proconsul, they carefully restored the Pantheon, destroyed by time).
Probably, for greater clarity, this inscription was outlined in red paint.

Portico roof

Ceiling of the left side of the portico of the Pantheon

Ceiling of the right side of the portico of the Pantheon

The gable roof of the portico is supported by wooden beams, which are attached to arches supported by internal columns. Until 1625 the portico had bronze coffered ceiling, melted down by Pope Urban VIII.

The second gable is marked on the wall only by a row of bricks

The portico does not fit the size of the main building, which is clearly visible from the presence second pediment. It can only be seen if you step back and look at the portico from the corner. One theory to explain this oddity is that the portico would have originally been taller and would have stood on monolithic granite columns 50 Roman feet high (weighing 100 tons) with Corinthian capitals 10 Roman feet high. However, after the columns of the required size could not be delivered, the builders had to change the design. As a result, 8 columns of pinkish and 8 columns of gray granite were installed, carved in the quarries of Mons Claudianus (100 km from the modern one). Each column was 39 Roman feet high ( 11.9 m), 5 feet (1.5 m) in diameter, weighed 60 tons and had capitals 8 feet (2.8 m) high. From the quarry to the river, the columns were dragged more than 100 kilometers on wooden drags, then on a barge, when the water level in the Nile rose in the spring, they were transported to the Mediterranean Sea, where they were loaded onto another ship and delivered to the Roman port of Ostia. There they were again transferred to barges and transported along the Tiber River to Rome. The columns were unloaded not far from the mausoleum of Augustus, from where they were somehow dragged about 700 meters further to the construction site of the Pantheon. Marble of this color was not mined anywhere in the world, so the mere presence of unusual “Egyptian” columns in the portico was symbol of extraordinary power its creator.

In the far wall of the Pantheon portico on both sides of the door there are large semicircular niches, which probably contained statues of Octavian Augustus and Agrippa. In the walls behind them there are two staircases leading to corridors on the second and third tiers of the Pantheon.

The niche to the right of the main door is empty

In a niche to the left of the central aisle there is a door through which only members of the Pontifical Academy of Fine Arts can enter.

Big double leaf bronze door, leading into the cella, which was once covered with sheets of gold, is a copy made under Pope Pius IV (1559 – 1565). It probably looked like the door of Agrippa's Pantheon. Its size is 7.53 x 4.45 meters.

Entrance to the Pantheon

The door is open

The door is closed

The staircase leading to the portico and the dome, invisible from the narrow space of the square, created the illusion for the beholder that he was in front of a Greek-style temple.

Side door

Rotunda (drum with dome)

The 4,535-ton Roman cement dome rests on eight semi-circular vaulted arches. The thickness of the dome arch is reduced from 6.4 meters at the very bottom(in the “drum”) up to 1.2 meters around the “oculus” opening. The materials used in the concrete blocks of the dome differ - while heavy travertine was used as a granular filling material at the widest point, then ceramic tiles and pots were used at the top, and light and porous tuff and pumice were used at the very top. At the highest point of the dome, a ring of wedge bricks surrounds oculus with a diameter of 8.92 meters, on which the original bronze rim has been preserved. The oculus, if sealed, would be the weakest point of the entire rotunda ceiling, which would also place excessive stress on the supports.

Dimensions of the Pantheon

Oculus

The unsupported, perfectly hemispherical dome of the Pantheon diameter 43.44 meters is one of the most outstanding examples of human genius. It is still the largest in . For example, the diameter of the dome of St. Peter's Basilica is 42.52 meters, the diameter of the dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence is 41.47 meters (although the main diagonal of the octagon is larger - 44.97 meters). It was not until 1881 that the Royal Hospital with a 44.2 meter dome was built in Devonshire, England.

Brick arches, which relieve pressure, can be seen from the outside - they look like huge sealed windows. There are similar arches not only in the dome, but also throughout the building, for example, above the niches. All of them were originally hidden: inside with marble cladding, and outside with stone or plaster.

Brick arches outside

The height of the rotunda from the floor to the oculus is equal to its diameter in the lower part (43.44 meters). Thus, her can be fit into a cube or insert a sphere inside it. In Roman feet the numbers look more logical: the diameter of the Pantheon is 150 feet, the oculus is 30 feet, the height of the door is 40 feet.

In 1747, Paolo Posi, commissioned by Pope Benedict XIV, restored the wide architectural belt with fourteen fake windows below the dome so that it no longer resembles the original. In 1930, two windows to the right of the altar (above the last niche-portico on the right) were restored according to drawings and diagrams from the Renaissance.

A small part of a restored original belt

The main building material of the Pantheon is cement, invented by the Romans. The technology of its production was forgotten after the fall of the Roman Empire and was restored only a thousand years later. At the same time, the same widespread use of cement as in ancient times began only at the end of the 18th century.

A large basilica dedicated to Neptune. Only small fragments of it remained on the outer wall - sculptures, tridents, etc. The basilica was built by Agrippa in 25 BC. in honor of the victory he won at the Battle of Cape Actium. It was not a temple, but rather a place for meetings and conferences. This basilica was located between the Pantheon and the baths, also built by Agrippa (see model above).

The Basilica of Neptune almost merges with the drum of the Pantheon

The basilica was located on the opposite side from the portico

Altar? in the central niche of the basilica

On the day of the Holy Trinity, through the oculus they scatter on parishioners rose petals, which symbolizes the descent of the Holy Spirit.

Interior

The ceiling of the rotunda was probably meant to symbolize firmament, the floor was earth, and on the sides in the arches and in the “sky” in the windows there should have been statues of gods. Through the oculus, the Pantheon is illuminated, cooled and ventilated.

Dome ceiling coffered and consists of five rows of 28 caissons, which lighten the weight of the vault. Their equal and uniform distribution across the ceiling was a difficult task for ancient builders, so it is generally accepted that such a scheme had either a numerical, geometric, or astronomical symbolic meaning. Maybe, number 28 was used because it was considered ideal - it can be obtained by adding 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 (7 is the ideal number because there are only 7 planets visible to the naked eye). Initially, bronze stars, rosettes or other ornaments could have been built into the caissons.

Coffered ceiling and part of the belt

Caissons also lighten the arch above the exterior door

Floor, made of polychrome marble with the inclusion of Egyptian porphyry and granite, mostly original. As in the portico, there are squares and circles in large squares. Apparently circles symbolized the celestial sphere, and squares- earthly. The circle in a square is also a simplified diagram of the Pantheon itself. In the center, under the oculus, in the floor made 22 small holes for drainage of rainwater. As in the Greek Parthenon, the floor in the center (more precisely, 2 meters northwest of the center) is 30 centimeters higher than at the edges, which was supposed to symbolize the curvature of the horizon.

Floor under the dome

The part of the floor under the oculus, in which the drainage holes are made, is fenced off

The Pantheon has seven deep niches– in the central platform (a semicircular niche opposite the entrance), there is a main altar, and in the side ones there are chapels. Each of the chapels (two semicircular and four rectangular) is separated from the main hall two columns with flutes 8.9 meters high (a total of 14 columns inside). They are made of monolithic Tunisian yellow marble. Between them on each side there are four small aedicules(niches) with porticoes, framed by two columns on the sides and a semicircular or triangular pediment on top. Both large and small niches were made by the builders of the Pantheon, probably for the statues of the gods, and were subsequently adapted for the needs of the Christian temple.

Main altar

Copy of a 7th century icon

The internal structure of the Pantheon, its lighting and orientation, could be associated with Etruscan mythology. For example, in the “Etruscan Discipline” the gods were arranged in a certain order and oriented to the cardinal points. This is clearly seen in the bronze “liver from Piacenza” from the 2nd century BC, which is divided into 16 sectors occupied by sixteen Etruscan gods. There were many more gods in the Roman pantheon, but the Pantheon temple was divided only into 16 sectors. Thanks to the movement of the sun, only three niches and three windows at the entrance (i.e. from the north) were illuminated inside the Pantheon. The rest were never illuminated by the sun. The most beloved gods in the Roman Empire were the gods of the northern part of the sky and, especially, Roma. The southern part of the Pantheon, which was never illuminated, was supposed to be dedicated to the chthonic (underground) gods.

View of the main altar on the right

18th century mosaic above the high altar

Modern high altar was created under Pope Clement XI (1700 – 1721) by the architect Alessandro Specchi. During these works they were found relics of Saints Razius and Anastasia. They were placed in a medieval bronze box and are shown to believers only during major religious holidays. Also, under Clement XI, in the semi-dome of the main squadron, on the site of a 16th-century fresco by Giovanni Guerra, a mosaic was made from tiles of gold and lapis lazuli. Above the main altar there is a list with Byzantine icon7th century, which depicts the Virgin and Child. It was presented by Emperor Phocas to Pope Boniface IV on the occasion of the transformation of the pagan Pantheon into a Christian temple. A copy replaced the original at the beginning of the 20th century. Wooden choirs works by Luigi Poletti were placed behind the altar in 1840.

View of the main altar on the left

The central niche of the pantheon is the “apse”

Location of chapels and porticos. Behind the niches into which the green doors lead are stairs

Chapels

The first one on the right is Chapel of the Annunciation, which contains a fresco of the same name, the authorship of which is attributed to Melozzo da Forli. To the right of it hangs the painting “” (1633) by Pietro Paolo Bonzi, and to the left is “” (1645 - 1650) by Clemente Maioli. Inside the chapel there are also two marble angel sculptures( and ), and in the niches in the right and left walls there are four marble ones - all these are works of Bernini’s school from 1696.

"The Annunciation" by Merlozzo da Forli

Chapel of the Annunciation

The second chapel on the right was originally dedicated Holy Spirit, however, at the end of the 19th century the king of Italy was buried here Victor Emmanuel II(1820 – 1878). The architect Manfredo Manfredi began building his tomb in 1885. It looks like a large bronze slab with a Roman eagle sitting on it. The golden lamp above the tomb burns in memory of King Victor Emmanuel III, who died in exile in Alexandria in 1947.

Tomb of Victor Emmanuel II

Tomb of Victor Emmanuel II from afar

In the center third chapel on the right hangs the painting “The Merciful Virgin Mary between St. Francis and St. John the Baptist.” It was executed by an unknown representative of the Umbrian school of painting of the 15th century. The painting is also known as the "enclosed Madonna" because it originally hung in a niche in the left wall of the outer portico, in which it was enclosed by a railing for safety. At some point it was moved to the Chapel of the Annunciation, and after 1837 - to its current location. On the right wall This rectangular chapel hangs the painting “” (1750), which belongs to the brush of an unknown author. A bronze inscription thanking Pope Clement XI for the restoration of the Pantheon is also embedded here. There is more in the floor.

15th century fresco

Chapel with a "fenced Madonna". In the portico on the right is a sculpture of St. Anne and the Virgin Mary, on the left is St. Anastasia

Beautiful capital on a pilaster inside a chapel

First on the left- This Chapel of St. Joseph in Palestine. It is the chapel of the brotherhood of Connoisseurs of Art in the Pantheon (“virtuosi”), which was formed by the 16th century from the best artists, architects and musicians of Rome. Among the first members were: the architect Antonio da Sangalla Jr., the sculptor Giovanni Mangone, the painter Taddeo Zuccaro, the painter Domenico Beccafumi and the sculptor Flaminio Vacca; later the architect Lorenzo Bernini, the artist Pietro da Cortona, the sculptor Alessandro Algardi and many others joined. This organization still exists today under the name “Pontifical Academy of Fine Arts” (Academia Ponteficia di Belle Arti) and is located in the Cancelleria Palace. In this chapel stands altar, covered with artificial marble, on which it is installed statue of saint joseph with the baby Jesus by the sculptor Vincenzo de Rossi (1525 – 1587). On both sides of it hang paintings painted by Francesco Cozza in 1661: "" on the left and "" on the right. The stucco relief on the left is “” by Paolo Benaglia, the relief on the opposite wall is “” by Carlo Monaldi. In the second row in this chapel hang five 17th-century paintings (from left to right): Ludovico Gimignani's, Francesco Rosa's, Giovanni Peruzzini's, Luigi Garzi's and Giovanni Andrea Carlone's The Erythraean Sibyl. In the lower part of the chapel are built in memory of Flaminio Vacca, Taddeo Zuccaro and Pietro Bonaccorsi who were buried here. Also buried here are the composer Arcangelo Corelli and the architect Jacopo Barozzi.

Statue of St. Joseph with the Child Jesus by Vincenzo de Rossi

Altar with sculpture

Virtuosi Chapel from afar

Second chapel on the left was originally dedicated Saint Michael the Archangel, then re-dedicated to St. Thomas the Apostle. The King of Italy is now buried there. UmbertoI(1844 - 1900) and his wife Margarita of Savoy (1851 - 1926). This queen is famous for the fact that on the occasion of her arrival in Naples, local chefs came up with a Margherita pizza with the colors of the Italian flag (white - mozzarella, red - tomatoes and green - basil). The architect began the construction of this tomb Giuseppe Sacconi, and was completed after his death by his student Guido Cirilli. It is a large bronze sheet curved in the shape of a niche, into which an alabaster slab is built. To the right and left of her stand female figures– one is an allegory of (the work of Eugenio Maccagnani), the other is an allegory of (the work of Arnoldo Zocchi). Porphyry is installed between the columns altar with " ", on which lie the symbols of royal power, created by Guido Cirilli. The maintenance of both royal tombs is carried out by the National Institute of Honorary Guards at the Royal Tombs, founded in 1878.

Tomb of Umberto I and his wife

Tomb of Umberto I from afar

Altar in front of the tomb

Next – Chapel of the Crucifixion. It is not marbled like the others, so it shows a Roman brick wall and a brick arch. On the altar in the center there is a large wooden cross with a crucifix, made in the 15th century. On the left wall hangs the painting "" (Pietro Labruzzi, 1790), and on the right wall there is a bas-relief "Cardinal Consalvi presents to Pope Pius VII the five provinces restored to the Holy See", which was made in 1824 by the Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen (now missing). There is a small one in front of the bas-relief.

Crucifixion

Chapel of the Crucifixion from afar (in the portico to the left of it is the tomb of Raphael, and to the right is the statue of St. Razius)

Diagram of the Pantheon - all the porticoes and chapels (you can print it out and take it with you)

Aedicula with porticoes

In the first portico to the right of the entrance there is a double fresco: “ Belt of Our Lady"(top) and "Saint Nicholas of Bari" (1686; bottom).

Belt of the Virgin and Saint Nicholas of Bari

Double fresco from afar

In the second portico on the right you can see fresco15th century Tuscan school of painting, which depicts the Coronation of Our Lady.

Coronation of the Virgin Mary

Fresco from afar

In the third portico there is a sculpture by Lorenzo Ottoni (1658 - 1736) " Saint Anne and Mother of God».

Saint Anne and Mother of God

Statue from afar

In the last portico on this side, the fourth, there is statue of Saint Anastasius(1725) by sculptor Bernardino Cametti.

Saint Anastasius

To the left of the statue is the main altar, and to the right is the chapel of the Virgin Mary

In the first portico on the left side from the main entrance is the painting “The Assumption of the Virgin Mary” (1638) by Andrea Camassei.

Assumption of the Virgin Mary

To the left of the picture is the main entrance, and to the right is the Virtuosi Chapel

In the second portico on the left stands statue of Saint Agnes by Vincenzo Felici (18th century). There are oval niches on both sides of the portico. The one on the right is empty, and on the left is an early 16th-century Baldassare Peruzzi, based on a plaster portrait by Giovanni Dupre.

Saint Agnes

To the right of the statue is the tomb of Umberto I

In the third portico stands sarcophagus, in which rests the ashes of the great 16th century artist Raphael Santi. This sarcophagus was a sign of respect for Pope Gregory XVI. The inscription on it reads: “ILLE HIC EST RAPHAEL TIMUIT QUO SOSPITE VINCI / RERUM MAGNA PARENS ET MORIENTE MORI” (“Here lies Raphael, whom the mother of all things [nature] feared to be surpassed when he lived, and died when he died”) . This epigraph was written by Cardinal Pietro Bembo. In a niche above the sarcophagus stands a statue of a woman with a child, known as " Madonna del Sasso"(Our Lady of the Mountain) as she rests one foot on a boulder. Raphael commissioned it from the Venetian Lorenzo Lotto in 1524. To the right and left of the statue are two small round niches, one of which contains a work by Giuseppe Fabis (1833). Raphael's Bride Maria Bibbiena, who died before the wedding, is buried to the right of his coffin (although his letters indicate that, despite the cardinal's pressure, Raphael was determined not to marry her). There are two plaques hanging here - in memory of Mary and in memory of the artist Annibal Carracci, who was buried here in 1609 at his own request. The design of this portico was designed in 1811 by Antonio Muñoz.

Raphael's tomb with inscription

Raphael's tomb is always surrounded by tourists

Raphael's tomb from afar

In the fourth portico on the left stands statue of Saint Razius(1727) by the sculptor Francesco Moderati.

Saint Razius

To the left of the sculpture is the Chapel of the Crucifixion, and to the right is the main altar

The Pantheon as a sundial and a symbol of apotheosis

Since the purpose of the Pantheon is unknown, a convincing theory has been put forward that it was built as symbol of apotheosis(ascension to heaven, to the sun, inclusion in the host of gods) of the emperor and as a symbol of the divine nature of his power. For this purpose, the Pantheon was made in the shape of an inaccurate hemicycle- a sundial in which it is not the shadow that is cast on the illuminated space, but the sunlight that enters the darkened room. Since it was impossible to determine the exact time or day from the Pantheon, it was only a symbol of connection with the sun.

Sundial from Carthage

The only natural sources of light in the Pantheon are the oculus and the entrance door. The entrance is oriented north with an error of 5.5 degrees, so the sun's rays can only penetrate into the Pantheon through the oculus.

At noon the sun's rays are always on meridians– a line leading from the oculus to the front door.

At true noon, the sun's rays fall through the oculus:

- during autumn equinox September 23 and spring equinox 21 - approximately two-thirds of the sunspot falls on the belt with false windows and one-third on the coffered ceiling. At this time, the rays fall at an angle of 48 degrees.
- during winter solstice- to a flat space above the caissons above the door. At this time, the rays fall at an angle of 24 degrees.
- during summer solstice 21 - to the floor, but never reach the center because the sun at the latitude of Rome is not at its zenith. At this time, the rays fall at an angle of 72 degrees.

Sun rays falling through the oculus in different seasons

Thus, the point illuminated by the midday sun moves along the meridian from the waist up, reaches its maximum height on the day of the winter solstice, and then begins to move downwards, reaching its minimum position on the floor of the Pantheon on the day of the summer solstice, after which it begins to move upward again. That's why autumn and winter the sunspot at any time of the day is above the middle of the window belt, and below in summer and winter.

Sunspot in mid-September

April 21- on the day of the founding of Rome at noon, the sun's rays fall at an angle of 60 degrees directly on the front door, creating the so-called “ arch of light"(according to other sources, the true arch of light is formed between April 7 and April 10 - during the festivities in honor of Cybele or Magna Mater). When the Romans inside the Pantheon looked out through the arch of light, they saw the mausoleum of Emperor Augustus standing not far away, directly opposite. In addition, the emperor could celebrate the founding day of Rome in the Pantheon and then he would enter inside with the sun, which could also create a symbolic connection between man and god (the idea of ​​a god-man ruler could be borrowed from the Egyptians). The perfect match between the circle of light from the oculus and the semicircular arch above the door is possible due to the fact that their diameter is identical. The “arch of light” is repeated for the second time between 2 and 5 September, when the celebration of Jupiter Optimus Maximus, one of the ancient Capitoline triad, took place. On days when an “arch of light” is created, the sun’s rays also penetrate through the door, into the portico, illuminating part of the floor - where the first square with an inscribed circle is located from the entrance.

Between the spring and autumn equinoxes, the midday sunspot can be seen from outside through the bars above the door.

Grille over the door to the Pantheon

Entrance door from inside

It was built in a similar way octagonal hall in the Golden House of Nero. It also has an oculus, and its four sides are oriented exactly to the cardinal points, so at noon the solar circle illuminates the northern entrance to this building. The hall was built in such a way that on the 13th, the day when Nero became emperor, the sun began to move up its walls, and from the beginning of March it moved down. This was done to create an association between Nero and the sun. The functions of this hall, like the functions of the Pantheon, are not precisely known.

Who is buried in the Pantheon

In the third portico from the left are the artists Raphael Santi and Annibale Carracci, Raphael's fiancée Maria Bibbiena.

In the first chapel from the left: Flaminio Vacca, Taddeo Zuccaro, Pietro Bonaccorsi, composer Arcangelo Corelli, architect Jacopo Barozzi.

In the second chapel from the left: King Umberto I of Italy and his wife Margaret of Savoy.

In the second chapel from the right: King of Italy Victor Emmanuel II.

Also: artists Giovanni da Udine and Perino del Vaga, architect Baldassare Peruzzi.

In addition, the relics of Saints Razius and Anastasius are kept here.

Nearby attractions: Basilica of San Eustaquio in Campo Marzio (8th-18th century), Church of Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza (1662), Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva (1370), c., Palazzo Giustignani (16th century. ), Church of Santa Maria Maddalena (1699)

Useful information about the Pantheon in Rome

Where is:
In the old part of Rome; near Piazza Navona

How to get there:
The nearest metro station is Barberini (line A) located one and a half kilometers from the Pantheon.

Buses 30, 70, 81, 87, 130F, 492, 628, N6 or N7 to the Senato stop.

The nearest tourist bus stop is Vaticano.

The Pantheon is one of the main attractions of Rome; This is the largest surviving ancient domed building; moreover, until the 19th century, there was no dome of a larger diameter. The name of the temple is Greek and means “temple of all gods.”

A monument of centric-domed architecture from the heyday of ancient Roman architecture, built in the 2nd century AD. e. under Emperor Hadrian on the site of the previous Pantheon, built two centuries earlier by Marcus Vipsanias Agrippa. The Latin inscription on the pediment reads: “M. AGRIPPA L F COS TERTIUM FECIT”, which translated sounds like: “Marcus Agrippa, elected consul for the third time, erected this.” The second inscription, in smaller letters, mentions the restoration carried out under Septimius Severus and Caracalla in 202 AD. However, the very nature of the construction and the stamps on the bricks with which the concrete walls are lined indicate that the building was erected around 126 AD, during the reign of Emperor Hadrian: his biographer reports that the emperor restored the Pantheon and many other temples, preserving the names of their founders. The work carried out under Septimius Severus was probably limited to updating the marble decoration, stucco cladding and other minor details.

Typologically, the Pantheon does not belong to the traditional rectangular Greco-Roman temples. The Pantheon is designed to be perceived not so much from the outside as from the inside. Its form probably goes back to the centric Italic huts and sanctuaries. The building that Marcus Agrippa erected on this site was severely damaged by fires in 80 AD. and at the beginning of the 2nd century. AD

The huge dome and rotunda are a masterpiece of Roman construction technology: the entire structure is made of monolithic concrete, only the lower zone of the dome is reinforced with brick arches. To facilitate the design, the rotunda is divided into seven large symmetrically located niches (four rectangular and three semi-circular), the place of the eighth niche is taken by the entrance. In addition, for the same purpose, eight more smaller hidden niches were made in the thickness of the segments. The hemispherical coffered dome has in the center a round hole (oculus) with a diameter of about 9 m, framed by a bronze border, through which light penetrates. At midday, the strongest light column penetrates through this hole. The light “does not spread”, but remains in the form of a giant light beam and becomes almost tangible.

Rotunda of the Pantheon, laid out of brick and lined with marble, in its structure denotes the complex symbolism of the cosmos, and the “eye” on the top of the dome is a symbol of the solar disk, the only source of light in the building. There is a legend that the hole in the dome was made by evil spirits who rushed about in search of a way out at the sounds of the first mass.

The composition of the concrete varied depending on the height of the dome: on the lower belts the filler was solid travertine chips, on the upper ones - chips of tuff and light pumice. The dome rises 22 m above the rotunda, so that the height of the building as a whole is almost equal to the internal diameter of the rotunda (43.5 m) and reaches 42 m. The floor is paved with multi-colored marble; The cladding of the rotunda walls is also made of multi-colored marble.

Passing through the huge double bronze gates 7 m high, preserved from antiquity, we emerge into a rectangular vestibule, which adjoins the rotunda from the north and opens into a spacious portico 30 m wide and 14 m deep. The portico rests on 16 monolithic granite columns of the Corinthian order with white marble capitals (there are 8 of them along the facade, the height of the columns is 14 m, the diameter is 1.5 m); the columns support a marble entablature and a triangular pediment. The external walls of the lobby are partly made of marble blocks, partly covered with marble cladding. The top of the dome was covered with gilded bronze.

The Pantheon is distinguished by classical clarity and integrity of the composition of the internal space, and the majesty of the artistic image. It is possible that Apollodorus of Damascus participated in the construction of the temple.

The Pantheon has been preserved in relatively good condition due to the fact that in 609 it was converted into the Christian church of Santa Maria ad Martires (it is also called Santa Maria Rotunda, or simply Rotunda).

Some famous people of Italy are buried there, in particular, Raphael is buried in one of the side chapels of the Pantheon; Subsequently, the first king of a united Italy, Victor Emmanuel II, and King Umberto I were buried here.

The Pantheon is 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 based on the study of surviving documents through logical reasoning. There are no exact dates 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.

Until the beginning of the 7th century, the Pantheon was a pagan temple of Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Pluto, Neptune, Saturn and Mercury. That is, it was still not dedicated to all 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 Martyrs (Santa Maria ad Martires) was consecrated by Pope Boniface. The name of the temple was given 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 destroyed first Pantheon. The first temple was built in 27–25 BC under the emperor Marcus Vipsanias Agrippa and was repeatedly damaged by fires caused by lightning strikes. Agrippa's Pantheon faced 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 size significantly exceeds the temple that existed before it. Initially, the structure stood on a podium, to which 8 steps led. But over the many centuries of the temple’s existence, 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. On the architrave was carved the inscription: “Emperor Caesar Lucius Septimius Severus Pius Pertinax of Arabia, Adiabene, Parthian, greatest, Pontifex Maximus, 10 times tribune, 11 times emperor, 3 times consul, Father of the Fatherland, proconsul, and Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Pius Felix Augustus, 5 times tribune, consul, proconsul, the Pantheon, damaged by time, was restored with all care.”

The design of the Pantheon is unique. The dome with the walls of the brick and concrete rotunda forms a single shell. The centric shape 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 installed on a massive foundation. The dimensions of the diameter of the dome and the height of the rotunda are the same, so the internal space 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 unknown. 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 that are clearly visible on the coffered ceiling. Previously, the ceiling was gilded. The dome of the temple represents 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 ones - chips of tuff and light pumice. However, concrete of variable hardness and density at the beginning of our era? There are researchers who believe that the dome was cast by aliens, 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 rubbish poured inside the building under construction. Then, the garbage was instantly stolen and removed by the city residents, because to speed up the cleaning, gold coins were mixed into it.

Modern science states that the lifespan of concrete is a maximum of 600 years, and that of brickwork - 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, and there is no clear line of existence of this monument over the centuries...

In the center of the dome is the “Eye of the Pantheon” (oculus) - a round hole with a diameter of 9 meters. Daylight penetrates into the temple through the oculus. Legend has it that the hole (Oculus) was formed when the church mass began in the temple. The evil forces could not withstand the sounds of the divine liturgy and urgently left the Sacred place, destroying the upper part of the dome. In general, more than one article could be written about the legends that shroud the Pantheon! And if you consider how many legends were invented by the Romans to attract tourists, then there is 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 summer solstice, June 21, at noon, the sun passes through the Eye of the Pantheon and illuminates everyone who enters the main door of the temple with a ray of light. By the way, in ancient chronicles the word “aedes” (temple) was never used in relation to the Pantheon, but only 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 remove rainwater. The floor is made slightly convex under the oculus, water flows into drainage holes, and then goes into the underground drainage system.

The entrance to the Pantheon is decorated with a massive portico, decorated with two rows of tall Corinthian columns. The height of the columns is 14 m, the diameter is 1.5 meters, each weight is 60 tons. The columns and pediment of the Pantheon are made of large stone blocks that were cut down in Egyptian quarries. Delivering such columns to the construction site even today, with the availability of powerful equipment, is an incredibly difficult task.

The Pantheon's pediment was previously decorated with bronze figures, statues and decorative elements, believed to be the work of Diogenes of Athens. In the 17th century, all bronze decorations from the facade were removed and used by the architect Bernini during 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, Bernini, by order of the Pope, in order to give the temple a more Christian appearance, built two awkward bell towers at the top, nicknamed by the Romans “Bernini's donkey ears.” The disfigured ears of the Bell Tower 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 it was later also destroyed. The Pantheon does not tolerate additional decorations...

In the space under 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 wall cladding 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 below the opening of the dome there was an altar on which sacrificial animals were put on fire. Acrid smoke came out 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 to the luminaries - the Sun and the Moon.

The niches are separated from the central hall by Corinthian columns.

Previously, the Pantheon housed 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 in the Pantheon there are statues of Saint Anastasio, Saint Agnes, Madonna del Cacco, Saint Eracio, Saint Nicholas, the Coronation of the Virgin sculpture, as well as a group sculpture of Saint Anne and the Blessed Virgin Mary. 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 Saint Razius, to the left of the main altar.

The walls in niches and chapels are painted with frescoes.

During the Renaissance, burials of famous people began to be made in the Pantheon. Here, among other things, is the grave of the Renaissance genius Raphael Santi. On his tomb there is a statue of the Madonna and an inscription carved: “Nature took care to take him from life, because she was afraid that he would surpass her with his art.” His fiancee Maria Bibbiena is buried next to Raphael’s grave.

The Pantheon became the first ancient Roman temple, into which not only priests, but everyone who wanted to pray to the gods could enter.

The Pantheon Temple is located in the very center of Rome in Piazza della Rotonda. On the opposite side of the square there was once the Temple of Neptune. The dimensions of Piazza della Rotonda are 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 Pantheon fountain and an Egyptian obelisk made 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 Pantheon Fountain is beautiful and has a very long history of changes due to the decrees of various Popes. I will definitely write about this and photograph the details of the fountain in more detail next time.

Throughout its existence, the Pantheon never closed and always served as a temple. Visiting 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 places around the world. One of these copies is located in Malta in the city of Mosta. The Mosta Dome is one of the largest cathedrals in the world.

(Italian Pantheon) is a historical and architectural monument of Ancient Rome. Originally known as antique Temple of all Gods, however, after the fall of the Roman Empire it was consecrated as the Christian Church of St. Mary and the Martyrs.

Pantheon of Agrippa

Pantheon of Agrippa

The first building of the Pantheon was built in 27–25 BC. Its name comes from two Greek words: “pan” - “all” and “theon” - “divine”. It was the "Temple of All Gods", dedicated to the main Roman gods (Neptune, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Pluto, Mercury and Saturn). The construction was supervised by the consul Marcus Agrippa, friend and son-in-law of Emperor Augustus. Agrippa's Pantheon faced south and had a rectangular shape. The walls were made of travertine blocks lined with marble slabs. On the pediment of the building, in bronze letters, was laid out the inscription “M. Agrippa L F cos Tertium Fecit" (“Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, elected consul for the third time, erected this”). The façade was decorated with statues and caryatids. Pliny left the following words about the attraction: “The caryatids on the columns of the temple are extremely beautiful, and the capitals of these columns are made of Syracuse copper.”

The Pantheon of Agrippa was surrounded by a small square paved with travertine slabs. On the opposite side of the square was the Temple of Neptune. The first Pantheon was destroyed during a three-day fire in 80 AD, but along with other temples it was completely rebuilt during the restoration work of Emperor Domitian. Its ruins are now located at a depth of 2.5 meters.

Construction of the modern Pantheon (Rome)

The Pantheon of Agrippa, once again destroyed during the reign of Trajan (it was struck by lightning), was completely rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian, who wrote in his memoirs: “I wanted this sanctuary of all gods to represent the globe and the celestial sphere.” Therefore, Hadrian's Pantheon became virtually a new building.

The markings on the bricks of the Pantheon, found as a result of research, indicate the period of 115-127, when the construction of the structure was supposedly carried out according to the design of the famous architect of that time, Apollodorus of Damascus. He designed and built many buildings and structures in Rome. For example, the Baths of Trajan, the Triumphal Arch of Trajan and the Port of Trajan in Ostia. Apollodorus continued to work after the death of Trajan, when Hadrian became emperor.

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Pantheon architecture

According to the project of Apollodorus, the Pantheon was oriented to the north, and its size was significantly increased. The structure was erected on a podium, to which 8 steps led. Gradually, the level of the ground around the Pantheon increased, and now it is located even in a shallow depression.

The structure of the temple has a cylindrical shape, representing a round rotunda. The height of the dome from the floor is equal to its diameter (43 meters), that is, the internal space of the temple can accommodate a full sphere - an ideal shape symbolizing the image of the Universe. The architectural appearance of the Pantheon embodied the Romans' ideas about the universe. The dome of the temple represents the vault of heaven, illuminated by the main celestial body - the Sun. The dome's ceiling is coffered and was originally gilded. Light penetrates through " Eye of the Pantheon"(oculus) - a single round hole with a diameter of 8.5 meters in the center of the vault. Every year on June 21 (the summer equinox), at noon, the sun passes through the Eye of the Pantheon and illuminates everyone who enters the main door of the temple with a beam of light. The floor is designed to be slightly convex, which helps drain rainwater into special openings that are part of a complex underground drainage system.

The walls, more than six meters thick, form a complex and well-designed structure that helps support the high dome. The composition of the concrete from which the walls were built varies depending on the height. The lower tier consists of concrete with travertine chips, followed by belts with lighter tuff or pumice fillers.

Facade The Pantheon is formed by a massive portico with a pediment. The portico is paved with slabs of colored marble arranged in a pattern of circles and squares, and includes 16 Corinthian granite columns with white marble capitals. The columns, 14 meters high, support a marble entablature and a triangular pediment on which is an inscription from the old Pantheon of Agrippa. In the space under the triangular pediment, holes for attaching decorative bronze trim are visible. Presumably, a bronze eagle with outstretched wings was attached here, holding an oak wreath in its beak, a symbol of power.

Gable The building was also decorated with bronze figures, statues and decorative elements, presumably made by Diogenes of Athens. Subsequently, by order of Pope Urban VIII, all the bronze decorations from the facade were used by the architect Bernini in the construction of St. Peter's Basilica. Such a barbaric act served as a reason for the libel that was famous at that time: “What the barbarians did not do, the Barberini family did” (“quod non fecerunt barbari - fecerunt Barberini”).

Pronaos(the passage or front hall of the Pantheon) connects the portico with the round hall. The outer walls of the pronaos are partly lined with marble blocks, partly covered with marble cladding. The pronaos is rectangular in shape and has three rows of Corinthian columns, eight of gray granite in the front row and eight of red. The pronaos contained statues of Emperor Augustus and Agrippa.

Large bronze doors, presumably preserved from ancient times and restored in the 16th century, lead to the round hall of the Pantheon. Its walls inside are covered with slabs of colored marble. On the lower level there are seven large niches, alternately trapezoidal and rounded. The niches are dedicated to the five planets that the Romans knew about, as well as to the luminaries - the Sun and the Moon. On the upper level above these niches there are rooms accessible through an external gallery. Previously, the Pantheon contained statues of seven gods, which were later replaced by statues of saints. These were statues of the most revered gods of Roman mythology (Neptune, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Pluto, Mercury and Saturn).

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History of the Pantheon after the fall of the Roman Empire

The Pantheon was saved from destruction in the early Middle Ages, thanks to the fact that in 608 the Byzantine Emperor Phocas donated it to Pope Boniface IV, who turned the building into a church. The following year, the Pantheon was solemnly consecrated as the Church of St. Mary and the Martyrs (Santa Maria ad Martires). The name was given in honor of the relics of Christian martyrs, which were transported from the catacombs of Rome to the Pantheon. However, in 655, Constans II, Emperor of Constantinople, during a visit to Rome, removed some bronze decorations and gilded tiles from the temple. Only at the beginning of the 8th century, during the reign of Pope Gregory III, the building was covered with a lead roof. Until the 14th century, the Pantheon was repeatedly abandoned (for example, during the stay of the popes in Avignon). In the years 1378-1417, the temple became a fortress in the struggle between the Roman families of Colonna and Orsini.

Immediately after the temple was converted into a church, all objects associated with the pagan cult were destroyed, and statues of Christian saints and paintings of biblical subjects appeared in their place. The Pantheon now has an altar and an apse commissioned by Pope Clement XI and designed by Alessandro Specchi. In the apse there is a copy of the Byzantine icon of the Madonna. The original icon is now in the Vatican. In 1840, a choir designed by Luigi Poletti was added.

Inside the main hall there are eight niches, one of which is the entrance, and in the others there are seven statues of saints: St. Anastasio, St. Agnes, Madonna del Cacco, St. Eracio, St. Nicholas, the Coronation of the Virgin sculpture, as well as a group sculpture of St. Anne and Holy Mother of God.

The walls in niches and chapels are painted with frescoes. The most famous are: “The Annunciation” by Melozzi da Forli, “Saint Lawrence and Saint Agnes” by Clement Maioli, “The Adoration of the Shepherds” by Francesco Cozza, as well as “The Adoration of the Magi” and “The Descent of the Holy Spirit” by Pietro Labrusi.

Burials in the Pantheon (Rome)

Starting from the Renaissance, the Pantheon, like all churches, began to arrange burials of outstanding people of their time. In particular, many famous artists, sculptors and musicians are buried here: painters Perino del Vaga, Annibale Carracci, Taddeo Zuccari, Giovanni da Udine, Rafael Santi and his bride Maria Bibbiena, architect Baldassare Peruzzi, sculptor Flaminio Vacca, musician Arcangelo Corelli.

There are also tombs of crowned persons from the Savoy dynasty. One of the first to be buried in the Pantheon was the first king of united Italy, Victor Emmanuel II of Savoy, a great fighter for the unity of his country, as evidenced by the inscription on his tombstone: “PADRE DELLA PATRIA” (Father of the Fatherland). Also here is the tomb of his son and successor, King Umberto I with his wife Margaret. The king was shot by a monarchist in 1900, and Margarita died 36 years later. The Royal Tombs are guarded by volunteers from the National Institute of Honorary Guard, founded in 1878.

The Pantheon is one of the few buildings of Antiquity that has been preserved in a condition that gives us a complete picture of the monumental architecture of Ancient Rome. Despite all the vicissitudes that have befallen over the past centuries, the Pantheon today remains a symbol of the greatness of the Roman Empire.

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