Pantheon, Rome facts for kids

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Pantheon
History
Facade of the Pantheon, with the Pantheon obelisk
Pantheon Location in Rome
Location	Regio IX Circus Flaminius
Coordinates	41°53′55″N 12°28′36″E / 41.8986°N 12.4768°E / 41.8986; 12.4768
Type	Roman temple
Builder	Trajan, Hadrian
Founded	113–125 AD (current building)

The Pantheon is an amazing ancient building in Rome, Italy. It started as a Roman temple dedicated to all the gods. Later, in AD 609, it became a Catholic church. Its official name as a church is the Basilica of St. Mary and the Martyrs.

The Pantheon was first built by Marcus Agrippa around 27 BC. This first building burned down. The current building was ordered by the emperor Hadrian and finished around AD 126. It's hard to know the exact date because Hadrian kept Agrippa's original inscription.

The building is mostly round. It has a large front porch, called a portico, with huge granite columns. Inside, there's a big round room called a rotunda. This room is covered by a giant concrete dome with a hole in the middle. This hole, called an oculus, lets in light and air. Even after almost 2,000 years, the Pantheon's dome is still the world's largest dome made without extra support. The height of the dome and its width are both about 43.3 meters (142 feet).

The Pantheon is one of the best-preserved Roman buildings. This is because it has been used continuously since it was built. Since the 7th century, it has been a church. The square in front of it is called Piazza della Rotonda. Today, the Italian government manages the Pantheon. In 2013, over six million people visited this incredible place.

The Pantheon's design, with its large circular dome and traditional temple front, was very new for Roman architecture. It later became a famous example for many architects. They copied its style in buildings all over the world.

What Does "Pantheon" Mean?
History of the Pantheon
Pantheon's Structure
Catholic Church Features
Influence on Other Buildings
Images for kids
See also

What Does "Pantheon" Mean?

The interior of the Pantheon

The name "Pantheon" comes from the Ancient Greek word "Pantheion." This means "of all the gods." The simplest idea is that it was a temple for all the Roman gods.

However, some people wonder if it was truly a temple for all gods. A Roman senator named Cassius Dio wrote about the Pantheon. He thought the name came either from the many god statues inside or because the dome looked like the heavens. This uncertainty suggests that "Pantheon" might have just been a nickname. It might not have been the building's official name.

After the French Revolution, the word "pantheon" also started to mean a building where famous people are honored or buried. This is like the Panthéon in Paris.

History of the Pantheon

Floor plan of the Pantheon from an old architecture book.

Ancient Times

After a big battle in 31 BC, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa started a huge building project in Rome. The Pantheon was part of this project. It was built on his own land between 29 and 19 BC. It was likely a private building, not a public temple. This might explain why its original name and purpose were forgotten over time.

For a long time, people thought the current Pantheon was Agrippa's original building, just changed a bit. This was because of a Latin inscription on the front. It says:

M·AGRIPPA·L·F·COS·TERTIVM·FECIT

This means: "Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, made [this building] when consul for the third time."

However, digs by archaeologists have shown that Agrippa's Pantheon was completely destroyed. Only its front part remained. Some experts now believe the current building started in 114 AD, under Emperor Trajan. This was after it burned down for the second time.

The exact shape of Agrippa's first Pantheon is still debated. Some early findings suggested it faced south and had a T-shape. More recent digs hint it might have been round and faced north, like the current building. But these newer ideas are still being discussed by historians.

The Pantheon dome. The coffered dome has a central oculus as the main source of natural light.

We know some things about Agrippa's Pantheon from Pliny the Elder's writings. He said the columns had bronze tops from Syracuse. He also mentioned statues on the roof. One famous story is that Cleopatra's pearl was cut in half for the earrings of a statue of Venus in the Pantheon.

Agrippa's Pantheon was destroyed by fire in 80 AD. Emperor Domitian rebuilt it, but it burned down again in 110 AD.

The current Pantheon was finished by Emperor Hadrian. He chose to put Agrippa's old inscription on the new building. This was common for Hadrian. He often honored the original builders of structures he restored. It's not known exactly how the building was used back then.

In 202 AD, the Pantheon was repaired by Emperors Septimius Severus and his son Caracalla. There is another, smaller inscription on the front that tells about this repair. It says they "carefully restored the Pantheon ruined by age."

Medieval Times

An 1836 view of the Pantheon by Jakob Alt, showing twin bell towers. These were removed in the late 1800s.

In 609 AD, the Byzantine emperor Phocas gave the Pantheon to Pope Boniface IV. The Pope turned it into a Christian church. He dedicated it to St. Mary and the Martyrs. This conversion saved the building from being destroyed or stripped of its materials. Many other ancient Roman buildings were not so lucky.

Twenty-eight cartloads of holy items from martyrs were brought from the catacombs. They were placed under the main altar. The Pope also put an icon of the Mother of God inside.

However, in 663 AD, Emperor Constans II visited Rome. He took many metal ornaments from the city. He even stripped the bronze tiles from the Pantheon's roof. These were sent to Constantinople.

Over the centuries, much of the beautiful marble on the outside was removed. In the early 1600s, Pope Urban VIII melted down the bronze ceiling of the front porch. Most of this bronze was used to make cannons for a nearby castle. Some say it was also used for a famous altar canopy in St. Peter's Basilica. A Roman joke at the time said: "What the barbarians did not do, the Barberinis [Urban VIII's family] did."

Renaissance Period

The interior of the Pantheon in the 18th century, painted by Giovanni Paolo Panini.

During the Renaissance, the Pantheon became a burial place for important people. Famous painters like Raphael and Annibale Carracci are buried there. The composer Arcangelo Corelli and architect Baldassare Peruzzi are also buried inside.

In the 15th century, the Pantheon was decorated with paintings. One famous painting is the Annunciation by Melozzo da Forlì. Architects like Filippo Brunelleschi studied the Pantheon. They used its design as inspiration for their own buildings, like the dome of Florence Cathedral.

Modern Times

Today, two kings of Italy are buried in the Pantheon. These are Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I. Umberto's wife, Queen Margherita, is also buried there. It was meant to be the burial place for all Italian monarchs. However, the monarchy ended in 1946. Later kings who died in exile were not allowed to be buried there.

The Pantheon is still an active Catholic church. Masses are held there on Sundays and special holy days. Sometimes, weddings also take place there. Visitors are asked to be respectful.

Pantheon's Structure

The Portico

The portico, or front porch, of the Pantheon.

Main bronze doors of the Pantheon, shown in an engraving from 1780.

The Pantheon was once reached by a flight of steps. Over time, the ground level around it rose. Now, there are no steps leading up to the front porch.

The triangular area above the columns, called the pediment, was decorated. It probably had a sculpture of a gilded bronze eagle inside a wreath.

The large bronze doors leading into the main room are very old. They are the oldest doors in Rome. They are about 4.45 meters (14.6 feet) wide and 7.53 meters (24.7 feet) high. For a long time, people thought these doors were from the 15th century. But studies have shown they are the original Roman doors. This makes them a rare example of ancient Roman bronze work.

The grey granite columns on the portico came from Egypt. Each column is about 11.9 meters (39 feet) tall. They are 1.5 meters (5 feet) wide and weigh about 60 tons. These huge columns were dragged over 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the quarry to a river. Then, they were floated on barges down the Nile River. After crossing the Mediterranean Sea, they were brought up the Tiber River to Rome. Finally, they were moved about 700 meters (2,300 feet) to the Pantheon's building site.

At the back of the portico, there are two large empty spaces. These might have been meant for statues of Augustus and Agrippa.

The Rotunda

A cross-section of the Pantheon. It shows how a 43.3-meter sphere fits perfectly under its dome.

The Pantheon's Roman concrete dome weighs about 4,535 tons. This weight is supported by a ring around the oculus. The dome's downward push is carried by eight large arches built into the thick walls. The dome itself gets thinner towards the top. It is 6.4 meters (21 feet) thick at the base and 1.2 meters (4 feet) thick around the oculus.

The materials used in the concrete also change. Heavier stones like travertine are at the bottom. Lighter stones like tufa and pumice are at the very top. This makes the dome lighter where it is weakest. The oculus also helps by removing the heaviest part of the dome at the very top.

A beam of light shining through the oculus in the Pantheon's dome.

Engineers have studied the Pantheon's dome. They found that using lighter stones in the upper parts greatly reduced the stress on the structure. If normal, heavy concrete had been used, the stress would have been 80% higher. Hidden spaces within the rotunda also help to reduce the roof's weight.

The height to the oculus and the diameter of the inside circle are both 43.3 meters (142 feet). This means a perfect sphere of that size could fit inside the Pantheon. In ancient Roman measurements, the dome spans 150 Roman feet. The oculus is 30 Roman feet wide. The doorway is 40 Roman feet high. The Pantheon still holds the record for the world's largest concrete dome built without extra support.

Inside the Pantheon

When you step inside, you see a huge round room under the dome. The oculus at the top of the dome is always open. This means rain can fall through it onto the floor. Because of this, the floor slopes slightly. It also has drains to let the water run off.

The inside of the dome was probably meant to look like the sky. The oculus and the entrance door are the only natural light sources. As the sun moves, the light from the oculus moves across the interior. It acts like a reverse sundial, marking time with light. The oculus also helps with cooling and air flow.

The dome has sunken panels called coffers. There are five rings of 28 coffers. This pattern was hard to create. It might have had a special meaning, perhaps related to numbers or the moon. In ancient times, these coffers might have held bronze rosettes. These would have looked like stars in the sky.

Circles and squares are a main theme in the Pantheon's design. The checkerboard floor pattern is different from the circular pattern of square coffers in the dome. Each part of the interior, from floor to ceiling, has a different design. This creates a unique visual effect.

Catholic Church Features

The main altar inside the Pantheon.

Church of St. Mary of the Martyrs
Chiesa Santa Maria dei Martiri Sancta Maria ad Martyres
The tomb of Raphael
Religion
Affiliation	Roman Catholic
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Minor basilica, Rectory church
Leadership	Msgr. Daniele Micheletti
Year consecrated	13 May 609
Location
Location	Rome, Italy
Architecture
Architectural style	Roman
Completed	126
Specifications
Direction of façade	North
Length	84 metres (276 ft)
Width	58 metres (190 ft)
Height (max)	58 metres (190 ft)
Website
Official website: https://web.archive.org/web/20150916002619/http://www.vicariatusurbis.org/SantaMariaadMartyres/

The main altars and curved areas were designed by Alessandro Specchi in the early 1700s. Above the main altar is a 7th-century painting of the Virgin and Child. This painting was given to Pope Boniface IV when the Pantheon became a church in 609 AD.

Many important people are buried in the Pantheon. The tomb of King Victor Emmanuel II (who died in 1878) is in the second chapel on the right. His tomb has a large bronze plaque. The golden lamp above it burns in honor of his son, Victor Emmanuel III, who died in exile.

The tomb of King Umberto I and his wife Margherita di Savoia is in another chapel. These royal tombs are looked after by a special group called the National Institute of Honour Guards.

The famous artist Raphael is also buried in the Pantheon. His tomb has a Latin inscription that means: "Here lies Raphael, by whom the great mother of all things (Nature) feared to be overcome while he was living, and while he was dying, herself to die." Behind his tomb is a statue called the Madonna del Sasso.

Influence on Other Buildings

Low Memorial Library at Columbia University in New York City.

The Rotunda at the University of Virginia, designed by Thomas Jefferson.

The Pantheon is one of the best-preserved ancient Roman buildings. It has greatly influenced Western architecture since the Renaissance. Many architects have been inspired by its design.

One of the first to be inspired was Filippo Brunelleschi. He designed the dome of Florence Cathedral in Italy, which was finished in 1436.

Other famous buildings inspired by the Pantheon include:

The church of Santa Maria Assunta (1664) in Italy.
Belle Isle House (1774) in England.
Thomas Jefferson's library at the University of Virginia, called The Rotunda (1817–1826).
The Rotunda of Mosta in Malta (1833).
The Nokia Church (1837) in Finland.

You can see the Pantheon's influence in many government buildings, city halls, university buildings, and public libraries built in the 19th and 20th centuries. Its unique portico and dome design has been copied many times around the world.