A Critical Analysis Of The Pantheon Essay

Critical analysis of the Pantheon. The pantheon is a nearly 2000-year-old roman temple that still inspires architects and artist alike. The structure was originally built in c. 27 BCE and dedicated by Marcus Agrippa. Comprised of a 142ft wide 142ft tall rotunda under a coffered concrete dome connected to a Greek style porch. It remains the best preserved roman structure to date being the only structure of its size and age to have survived intact. The lighting in the pantheon changes based on the time of day casting shadows differently throughout the day, while the vertical as well as the horizontal lines perfectly draw attention the oculus, these artistic elements as well as its rich history are what keeps this structure in use today. The pantheon is a combination of the Roman rotunda and Greek portico designs to form a temple of all the gods from which it gets its namesake. The focal point

Within the pantheon almost all lines draw the viewers eyes to the Oculus. Another key element of the pantheon aside from the Oculus are the coffers, in addition to providing weight reduction within the dome the concentric rings created by the coffers radiate out from the Oculus carrying the ring down to meet the wall mimicking the Oculus (see fig. 1). Also present within the coffers are vertical line that converge at the Oculus. Both elements that bring attention to the focal point of the building. This trend continues onto the walls where the rectangular window like recesses in the walls are adorned with a pediment pointing upwards, likewise on the floor where rounded pillars are again capped with a pediment. furthermore, the floor of the pantheon is a collage of shaped with alternating circles and squares decorating the floor mirroring the square coffers and circular Oculus