(8) The Pantheon was highly praised by Michelangelo Bernini! The highest beauty of Roman architecture is here!

Travels in Rome" - Charms of the Theater City of Rome and Pilgrimage to Bernini

Travels in Rome] (8) The Pantheon, highly praised by Michelangelo and Bernini! The highest beauty of Roman architecture is here!

In this article, I will discuss the Pantheon, the highest peak of Roman architecture.

Inside the PantheonWikipedia.

The Pantheon is a temple thought to have been built by Emperor Hadrian around 120-124 AD.

Masumi Ishinabe describes this architecture as follows

The Pantheon is the most complete surviving structure of ancient architecture. It consists of the entrance, called the pronaos, and the main body of the temple with its dome. From the front, eight huge granite columns support a triangular gable, above which a low dome roof can be seen behind the square junction connecting the pronaos and the main body of the temple. At first glance, the exterior of the building looks heavy and even gloomy, if it were not for the bright atmosphere of its surroundings. However, the grandeur of the building never gets old no matter how many times you see it, and its presence seems to be imprinted more deeply in your mind each time you see it. （The presence of the city seems to be imprinted more deeply on our hearts each time we see it.)

Circular in shape, yet with a low dome reigning enveloping it, the interior is an unexpected space that I have never experienced in any other building. Since my first visit to the Pantheon sixteen years ago, I have been inside the Pantheon at least forty or fifty times. Even so, when I enter the Pantheon, I am still struck by a sense of surprise. It is, I think, the most original and daring space in all of architecture. The circular interior walls, the dome with its oculus (circular window), everything is dynamic and majestic. This surprise, however, gradually gives way to a sense of satisfaction as one is enveloped in the space for a while and observes the details of the building. Inside, there are seven nicchia (niche(in Okinawa) portable shrine used to move a deceased from their house to the graveyard) and the eight edicola set up between them to display the sculptures (niche (in Western architecture)niche (in Western architecture)), and at the top of thoseilliterate person,,There are windows and framed motifs of decoration. When one observes these details in detail, the proportions of all their parts seem perfect. The quiet dynamism of the circle and the perfection of this proportion give great satisfaction to the viewer.

If you were to ask Michelangelo or Bernini what is the most important thing in architecture, they would have answered immediately that it is proportion. Proportion is what makes Italian architecture what it is, in other words, the key to its charm. Since the Renaissance, people have believed that there is no better place to understand the nature of proportion than in the Pantheon. The influence of the Pantheon on modern European artists is truly immeasurable.

The Pantheon has such dynamism and proportional beauty, but the underlying dynamism of its space is the fact that the diameter of the circle in the plan and the height of the dome are both 43.3 meters, which means that the temple is designed to fit a sphere completely. The cornice where the dome begins is exactly half the height of the sphere, meaning that the dome is truly hemispherical. However, when you actually stand here, you lose a sense of distance, and it is difficult to realize that the dome is hemispherical, just as it is difficult to get a sense of the nine-meter diameter of the oculus (circular window) in the center of the dome. However, the Pantheon is truly unique in its effect of enveloping us like a weight on our shoulders and filling us with a sense of solemn satisfaction without being in the least bit oppressive.
*some line breaks.

Masumi Ishinabe, Yoshikawa KobunkanAs Long as St. Peter's Stands: My Guide to Rome.p112-116

If you had asked Michelangelo or Bernini what is the most important thing in architecture, they would have immediately answered, "Proportion. Proportion is what makes Italian architecture what it is, in other words, the key to its appeal. There is no better place than the Pantheon to understand what that proportion is."

The Pantheon was praised by that Michelangelo and Bernini. Michelangelo designed the dome of St. Peter's Basilica, and Bernini created the masterpiece Basilica San Tandrea al Quirinale, a small pantheon.

The Pantheon, the pinnacle of ancient Roman architecture, had a tremendous influence on the Renaissance. We talked about Michelangelo and Bernini in our 2019 article, which we hope you will also read here.

Explanation of the beauty of St. Peter's Basilica designed by Michelangelo and Bernini, Vatican, Italy (6)

And there is another interesting story in this pantheon. Let's continue with Masumi Ishinabe's commentary.

The dome, by the way, is not built of stone or brick, but of poured mortar, a so-called concrete structure. The walls are 5.9 meters thick in the lower part of the dome and 1.5 meters thick in the oculus, and pumice stone and other materials were mixed in the upper part to lighten the weight of the dome.

Masumi Ishinabe, Yoshikawa KobunkanAs Long as St. Peter's Stands: My Guide to Rome.p116

To my surprise, the Pantheon is not made of stone but of concrete. This surprised me too. I had assumed that concrete was a product of modern times, but I had no idea that it had already been put to practical use in ancient Rome.

Moreover, the concrete itself had a surprising secret.

I was surprised when I read what was written in the article within this tweet. What a surprise,"Ancient Roman concrete was found to have the ability to 'self-repair' cracks!"Even 2,000 years ago, concrete technology had already surpassed modern technology. This concrete was used for the Colosseum, aqueducts, and other structures, which is why they still look the same after nearly 2,000 years.

Fearful ancient Roman technology...!

Now, I shall visit the Pantheon, the highest peak of such ancient Rome.

The Pantheon is within walking distance from the center of sightseeing such as Piazza Navona and Piazza di Spagna. You could say that it is in the middle of Rome's sightseeing.

The Pantheon appears out of nowhere as you walk from the plaza through narrow alleys and between buildings. When I saw it for the first time, I was surprised at its suddenness.

The ceiling of the entrance to the Pantheon (portico) used to be made of copper, but since 1624, the copper here was taken out to make the baldacchino of St. Peter's Basilica. Pope Urbanus VIII took this step because there was a shortage of copper to make this huge baldacchino by Bernini.Article on Foro RomanoBut as I mentioned the procurement of marble by the Vatican, not only stone but also copper was borrowed from the ruins of ancient Rome.

Finally, we went inside the Pantheon.

The interior is a perfect circle, making it impossible to photograph the entire building. The splendor of this architecture can only be appreciated by actually visiting and experiencing it.

Anyway, it is a mysterious space. As I was used to rectangular-shaped spaces in churches and temples, this perfect circular shape made me feel omnidirectional and puzzled.

But Masumi Ishinabe'sSince my first visit to the Pantheon sixteen years ago, I have been inside the Pantheon at least forty or fifty times. Even so, I am still struck with a sense of wonder when I enter the Pantheon. It is, I think, the most original and daring space in all of architecture. The circular interior walls, the dome with its oculus (circular window), everything is dynamic and majestic. But this amazement gradually gives way to a sense of satisfaction as one is enveloped in the space for a while and observes the details of the building."I feel myself gradually becoming fascinated by this space, just as in the words, "I am a very good person.

At first, you are still taken aback. But as the shock subsides, the greatness of this architecture permeates. I do not know how to describe it. There is something here that far exceeds my vocabulary. There is a greatness here that cannot be understood without actually experiencing it.

And here in the Pantheon there is also the tomb of Raphael. As usual, I visited the tomb. Dostoevsky also loved Raphael. He is one of my favorite painters.

During my stay in Rome, I visited this Pantheon many times.

The Pantheon, the crystallization of the wisdom of the Roman Empire. It is nothing short of astonishing that it has remained in this state since around 125 AD. Even the Colosseum looks like a ruin. In contrast, this place is still in perfect working order. One can only be stunned by the technological prowess of the Roman Empire. There is no doubt that the Pantheon is an unspeakable architectural masterpiece.

be unbroken

*The list of articles in the "Rome Travel Journal" can be found atCategory page hereindicates direction or goal (e.g. "to")

*Please visit this category page for recommended books to learn about Rome and Italy.
The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire, the Vatican, and Roman Catholicism."
The Italian Renaissance and the Revolution in Knowledge."

Next Article.

(9) Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano - Visit the huge church that was once the political center of Christian Rome.

Click here to read the previous article.

(7) "All Roads Lead to Rome" - Visit the Baths of Caracalla, the Appian Way and the Aqueduct. Be amazed by the amazing technology of ancient Rome.

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