The word Pantheon” comes from Greek and means “Temple of all Gods”. It refers to a famous building in Rome that was initially constructed between 27 BCE and 25 BCE to honor the ancient Gods of the seven planets. However, after the 7th century, it became known as a Christian Church. On the other hand, the Parthenon is one of Greece’s most famous ancient buildings and is considered a symbol of democracy in ancient Greece. It was built between 447 and 438 B.C. to express gratitude to Athena – the patron goddess of Athens. The name “Parthenon” comes from the Greek word “parthenos”, which means virgin.Initially used as a temple, later on, it served as a treasury. The majority of Parthenon’s construction was made using Pentelic marble.
Certainly, both buildings have their own unique history. The architect of the Pantheon was said to be Apollodorus of Damascus. However, it was destroyed due to a fire and later rebuilt during the reign of Emperor Hadrian. In 609, Emperor Phocas passed the Pantheon to Pope Boniface IV and it became a Christian Church. During the Renaissance period, the building served as a tomb for notable figures such as painters Raphael and Annibale Caracci, architect Baldassare Peruzzi, and two kings of Italy: Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I (Leland, 3). Today, the modern Pantheon remains a church where masses are still held. On the other hand, Parthenon was primarily used for religious purposes; it served as a Latin Church, Byzantine church and even a Muslim mosque.
The Parthenon and the Pantheon share some similarities in appearance, such as the number of columns, but they are actually quite different. The Pantheon is circular with three ranks of granite Corinthian columns (Leland, 29). Its dome is coffered and has an opening in the center known as the Great Eye, which serves as both a source of light and a symbol of the sun. This dome was once the largest in the world until 1781. The composition of its construction materials remains difficult to define; researchers suggest it was a mixture of pozzolan, lime, and a small amount of water” (Leland, 128). Niches remain on the backside of its portico that were likely intended for statues of gods. The doors to its cella were originally made from bronze with gold accents; however, there is no longer any gold present. The holes in its pediment indicate where bronze sculptures depicting the Battle of Titans were once attached. Bronze star ornaments originally adorned its interior coffers; their primary purpose was to reduce roof weight (Leland, 128). Marbles are used extensively throughout the lower portion interior for decoration.
Contrary to the Pantheon, the Parthenon is a square building surrounded by columns on all sides. These columns are also solid, like those of the Pantheon. In the center of the temple is the cella, which houses a statue of Athena. The interior of the Parthenon is adorned with Doric metopes and triglyphs as well as an Ionic frieze (Woodford, 11). The frieze depicts the Panathenaia, an annual festival honoring Athena and all gods in the Pantheon. For its roof, overlapping marble was used and it was called imbrices and tegulae.
Overall, the Parthenon and Pantheon are two buildings that reflect ancient cultural traditions and have a rich history. Both structures were ruined and reconstructed over time, serving various purposes such as churches, tombs, and even treasure storage. Although they differ in form, the Roman and Greek cultures were closely related resulting in the use of similar materials for both buildings.
Works Cited:
- Leland M. Understanding Architecture: Its Elements, History and Meaning. First edition. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1993. Pages 1-30, 128 and 224.
- Woodford, S. The Parthenon. Cambridge University Press: 1981.
The interior of the Pantheon is adorned with sunken panels, also known as coffers. These coffers were originally decorated with bronze star ornaments. The coffering was not only decorative but also served to reduce the weight of the roof. Additionally, the Great Eye eliminated the need for an apex, further reducing weight. The top of the rotunda wall features a series of brick-relieving arches that are visible on the outside and built into the brickwork mass. While there are many such devices within the Pantheon, including relieving arches over recesses inside, all these arches were originally hidden by marble facing. Some changes have been made to interior decoration over time.
It may be noted that the proportions of the building are in discord with the classical ideal. Most evident is the rather large pediment, which appears far too “heavy” for the columns supporting it. The reason for this was the expectation that the building would be much taller than it actually is, which would affect larger columns. However, by the time the pediment was built, it was realised that the supply of imported stone for the columns was not enough to build to its anticipated height, and thus the builders had to settle with a building that is somewhat out of proportion.[citation needed]
The lower parts of the interior of the Pantheon are decorated with richly colored marbles, while the coffered upper parts remain unadorned concrete.
The exact composition of the Roman concrete used in the dome remains a mystery. However, it is known from Roman sources that their concrete is made up of a pasty hydrate of lime, with pozzolanic ash and lightweight pumice from a nearby volcano, as well as fist-sized pieces of rock. This combination is very similar to modern concrete. An unreinforced dome in these proportions made of modern concrete would hardly stand the load of its own weight since concrete has very low tensile strength. Despite this fact, the Pantheon has stood for centuries.
The high tensile strength appears to come from the way the concrete was applied in very small amounts and then tamped down to remove excess water at all stages. This process prevented air bubbles that normally form in drying concrete, thus increasing its strength enormously.
The Pantheon is the best-preserved example of monumental Roman architecture. It has had a significant influence on European and American architects since the Renaissance. Brunelleschi’s 42-meter dome of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence was completed in 1436, making it the first sizeable dome to be constructed in Europe after Antiquity. The dome of the Pantheon can be seen in numerous city halls, universities, and public libraries built during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries due to its portico-and-dome structure. Notable buildings influenced by the Pantheon include British Museum Reading Room, Manchester Central Library, Thomas Jefferson’s Rotunda at the University of Virginia, Rotunda of Mosta, Low Library at Columbia University in New York City, The Marble Hall of Sanssouci palace located in Potsdam Germany and State Library of Victoria situated in Melbourne Australia.
The concrete used in the Pantheon was a mixture of pozzolan, lime, and a small amount of water. Instead of being poured, the mixture was tamped into place. Nowadays, we have portland cement which is much easier to work with and ten times stronger than the original mixture.
Concrete is weak in tension, which is why we use reinforcing steel (rebar) to strengthen it. The Romans didn’t have this option, so they used ropes made of vitreous china for reinforcement. To compensate for the weakness and weight of the concrete, they built thick footing and drum walls. Without this, the weight of the dome would have caused the vertical walls of the drum to spread and eventually cause damage to the Pantheon.
