Architecture of the Pantheon and its History Essay

Architecture of the Pantheon and its History - Essay Example The ancient look of the porch provides no clue of the surprise inside, which is planned as an inside space of huge size. WWW.BDONLINE.CO.UK. Picture by Gareth Gardner. Author: Renato Benedetti. June 2010. Issue: 1919. The Pantheon. Arch. Marcus Agrippa. Rome, Italy. 27 B.C. The inside of the dome is furnished with five concentric circles of deeply-sunk coffers, 28 in each ring. At the top of the dome is an oculus (8.2 meters in diameter), the only means of the natural light illuminating all the corners of the dome internally. The building is totally made of concrete, the overall attentively selected from the heavy travertine and tufa of the lower walls, through tufa and brick, brick only, and brick and pumice, to pumice only near the oculus. As it reaches the top level, the shell of the dome shrinks in thickness (â€Å"Pantheon†). The Pantheon is an architectural wonder constructed 2000 years before. One can- WWW.BDONLINE.CO.UK. Picture by Gareth Gardner. Author: Renato Benede tti. June 2010. Issue: 1919. The Pantheon. Arch. Marcus Agrippa. Rome, Italy. 27 B.C. -not remain untouched by the marvel of this dome that impresses one and all alike. It is equally magnificent now and at the time when it was built. It is not easy to find buildings spanning 2,000 years and standing still with reverence in the eyes of visitors for its architectural finesse; what more, it is still in use. The Pantheon attracts visitors from all the nook and corners of the world, wondering at this marvel of architecture while sitting on the stairs of the Pantheon for 2000 years (Benedetti 15). The Pantheon creates an impression of a building belonging to some other planet; such a feel comes from its craftsmanship. It gives the visitors an impression of strength, which comes from the innovative design of the Pantheon. The view of the building is just magical, particularly in black and white as in the picture above. For example, the use of concrete has been made innovatively, requiring thin layers of concrete to minimize weight and stresses in the top layers of the dome. The dome of Pantheon is till now the only single biggest non-reinforced concrete dome. Behind its huge brick walls lay a line of alleviating arches that add to its finish and body image. The humongous bronze doors are functional. It is because they are standing on pivots that provide increased strength relatively to a hinge. It seems each pivot must be as heavy as a small house (Benedetti 15). WWW.BDONLINE.CO.UK. Picture by Gareth Gardner. Author: Renato Benedetti. June 2010. Issue: 1919. The Pantheon. Arch. Marcus Agrippa. Rome, Italy. 27 B.C. All the buildings around the Pantheon are newer. It is surrounded by tight lanes of the increasingly populated baroque city, offering tempting scenes. The front portico is spacious enough to accommodate the visitors to breathe with the Piazza della Rotonda. The main front leads the piazza with its magnificent gable and the 16 huge grey Egyptian granite colu mns; these columns add grace to the Pantheon although they are in plenty in the city. Whichever path one takes to reach the Pantheon, the size of the drum and humongous columns is sweeping (Benedetti 15). WWW.BDONLINE.CO.UK. Picture by Gareth Gardner. Author: Renato Benedetti. June 2010. Issue: 1919. The Pantheon. Arch. Marcus Agrippa. Rome, Italy. 27 B.C. A close-up look of the huge columns kindles a feeling of relative