This concrete construction technique easily created carved out spaces within the wall’s thickness, such as the alcoves around the rotunda. This ultra-durable and lightweight Roman concrete is one reason why the Pantheon has withstood the tests of time. Roman concrete was a unique mixture of limestone and volcanic ash this mixture formed crystals that helped to prevent microscopic cracks. The walls are constructed of brick-faced concrete, which was widely used in buildings and infrastructure projects of that era, such as the famous aqueducts. The Pantheon is not only a spectacular, ancient building, it’s also an example of innovative Roman engineering techniques. Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay What Was the Pantheon Built From? In fact, it appears that the present-day Pantheon was mostly designed and built around 114 C.E., with construction completed under Hadrian’s rule around 125 to 128 C.E. When was the Pantheon built?įurther study of the stamped bricks showed that the majority of them dated from the 110s C.E., during the reign of Emperor Trajan. ![]() Marcus Agrippa could not have possibly been the patron of the present-day Pantheon, as he lived at least 100 years prior to Emperor Hadrian. Hadrian ruled from 117-138 C.E., yet Marcus Agrippa lived during the first century B.C.E. This was taken as a fact, until 1892, when stamped bricks in and around the Pantheon showed that the Pantheon we see today was a reconstruction of an earlier Pantheon, that was initiated by Emperor Hadrian. For many centuries, the raised bronze letters on the building identified (in abbreviated Latin) Marcus Agrippa as the one who initiated the construction. The inscriptions on the Pantheon, however, are deceptive. These markings can reveal a lot of information about the dates, patronage, and purpose of the building. Uncovering the history and architecture of the PantheonĪrchaeologists place much importance on the inscriptions of ancient monuments. There are no windows inside the Pantheon and light enters the building from the oculus, open to the elements. Inside, the magnificent round room is dominated by the dome, said to represent the heavens above. The entrance is a magnificent portico supported by sixteen Corinthian columns. This marvel of ancient engineering was studied by Michelangelo when he designed the dome at St Peter’s. The main cylindrical building is topped by a large dome. Revered for its simple, yet striking design, the Pantheon has been copied countless times over the centuries. ![]() Pantheon is a Greek word meaning “honor all Gods” so the building had special significance during the Roman Empire.Ĭonsecrated in the 7th century C.E., it is now one of Rome’s most ancient churches known as Sancta Maria ad Martyres or Santa Maria Rotunda.Ī working church where you can attend mass or see a wedding take place, it is also the final resting place of Italian kings Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I as well as the Renaissance master Raphael. Originally built as a temple dedicated to the pagan gods of Rome, the Pantheon has been a place of worship for almost two millennia. How Has the Pantheon Survived the Centuries?.Uncovering the history and architecture of the Pantheon.
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