Roman Pantheon

Pantheon Notes

Architectural

Terms: Niches, Piers, Portico, Monolithic Columns, Unsupported poured dome,

• Constructed Approx 120 CE, in continuous use since

• best preserved monument of Ancient Rome

• Interior Sphere:

  • The main hall is built in a way that a sphere fits completely from interior dome to base of floor

  • diameter

    • 142 ft / 43.3m?

    • 1989 specs: 43.454m (but sphere slightly intersects w floor)

• Oculus Diameter:

  • "35ft"

  • 1989 specs: 9.10 m / 29.86ft

  • YouTube Rome Virtual Walk: 26ft

• Different types of concrete in dome, lighter weights as the dome rises, layers of tile in the ring of the oculus distribute forces to prevent collapse

• Dome was largest in world for 1300 years. Still the largest unreinforced dome

• 16 Exterior columns: "39ft tall, 60 tons" monolithic stone pieces from Egypt

• "walls are 30ft deep", another listed them as 25ft (25 seems more accurate from diagrams)

• Portico ceiling is original wood, was originally bronze covered, bronze stripped by the ____

• Drainage holes in floor

• Floor tiles

  • circles within each square is a different size (see Piranesi sketch with measurements)

• Influence on Architecture, especially American

  • Jefferson admired the dome

  • see: MIT, UVA library (by jefferson),

Historical

• Oldest unsupported concrete dome for 1300 years

• burned down and rebuilt multiple times

• has been used for religious ceremony, fish market, flower market, tourism, and (allegedly) for a period was intentionally flooded to allow couples to rent boats to float around in

• Marcus Agrippa (didnt) build this despite the engraving on the Portico

Misc Pantheon Image Reference

Pantheon YouTube Playlist