Classics of world literature compiled about him, tourists who came to Italy aspire to him, his images are taken home in photographs and postcards. The Temple of All Gods located in Rome (or, as the building is now called, the Pantheon) at the time of its erection was dedicated to the main gods revered in the Roman Empire. The magnificent building is one of the most famous architectural monuments of the ancient period, preserved to this day. Years passed, the world changed, and after the fall of the empire, the pagan sanctuary was consecrated as the Christian church of St. Mary and the New Martyrs.
History. The First Pantheon - Pantheon of Agrippa
The first Temple of all gods in Rome was built between 27 and 25 BC. Despite the fact that construction was carried out on the territory of the Roman Empire, the name of the Temple of all gods in Rome comes from the Greek words: "pan" - "comprehensive", and "theon", which means "divine" in translation. He was dedicated to the main gods of the Romans:
- Jupiter - the supreme thunder god, to whom Zeus corresponds in Greek mythology.
- Neptune - the god of the seas and earthquakes, the Greek counterpart is Poseidon.
- Mars, the god of war, corresponds to the Greek Ares.
- Venus - the goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite in Hellas.
- Pluto - the god of the underworld , the Greek counterpart is Hades.
- Mercury - the messenger of the gods, the patron saint of merchants and travelers (Hermes in Ancient Greece).
- Saturn - the titan of the time, the Greek version - Kronos (Chronos).
Emperor’s close friend and son-in-law, Consul Marc Agrippa, took charge of the construction, as evidenced by the inscription on the building in bronze letters. The first Pantheon was facing south and had the shape of a rectangle. The main decoration of the facade of the Roman Pantheon was the columns and caryatids - statues of dressed women, replacing the columns that first appeared in ancient Greece. Opposite the Pantheon, on the opposite side of the square, was the temple of Neptune. At least that is the description of the Temple of All Gods in Rome that has come down to us.
The first Roman Pantheon burned down during a fire in the first century AD, but, like many other temples, was rebuilt under the emperor Domitian, and its remains are now located at a depth of about two and a half meters.
The construction of the modern Temple of all gods in Rome
The Pantheon of Marcus Agrippa, restored under Domitian, was finally destroyed during the reign of Emperor Trajan due to the fact that lightning struck him, so under the Emperor Hadrian, who wanted “this sanctuary of all gods to represent the globe and the heavenly sphere,” he was completely rebuilt .
According to the marking on the bricks that make up the temple, its construction was carried out in the first half of the second century AD. The architect was Apollodor of Damascus, one of the largest architects of that time, who directed the construction of significant structures (among them the Therma and the Arc de Triomphe) not only under Adrian, but also before him, under Trajan.
Architectural features
Unlike its predecessor, the Pantheon of Apollodorus was oriented to the north, and its size has increased significantly. Moreover, in the new project, an eight-stage podium was added to the architectural composition. The inner space of the temple is able to accommodate a sphere - an ideal model of the Universe - with a diameter of 43 meters. The architecture of the Temple of All Gods itself reflects the ideas of the Romans about the structure of the universe. The walls of the temple are quite thick, and their composition changes along with the height - below they are denser, and their upper part consists of lighter materials.
Of course, the view from the facade is the most famous - in most photos of the Temple of all the gods in Rome, you can see sixteen tall columns on which lies a triangular pediment. On the pediment there is the same inscription as on the Pantheon of Agrippa. There are holes under the pediment, with the help of which a bronze image of the symbol of power was attached - an eagle with outstretched wings, which holds an oak wreath in its beak. A lot of bronze images adorning the facade of the work of Diogenes of Athens were later used when working on the Basilica of St. Peter, many people at that time considered this act to be barbaric.
Pantheon after the fall of the empire
After the collapse of the Roman Empire, the Pantheon escaped destruction only due to the fact that in 608 AD it was turned into a church by Pope Boniface IV, who consecrated it a year later in honor of St. Mary and the Martyrs. The name was due to the fact that the relics from the Roman catacombs were transported here. About forty-five years later, the emperor of Constantinople Constant II removed bronze decorative elements and gilded tiles from the former Temple of All Gods, which were replaced with lead only almost two centuries after the visit of the monarch of Constantinople. In addition, after the Pantheon became a Christian temple, all objects of the pagan cult of the Romans, images of Roman gods, were destroyed. An altar was erected in the temple, sculptural images of saints, murals on biblical subjects appeared.
In subsequent years, the fate of this magnificent building was also unenviable. For a long time he remained in desolation, as, for example, during the Avignon captivity of the popes. At some time, he was at the center of the struggle between the noble Roman families of Colonna and Orsini, playing the role of a fortress.
Who is buried in the Temple of all gods?
The Renaissance brought a tradition to bury prominent people of its time in large cathedrals. She did not pass by the Pantheon, where many Renaissance painters found their last refuge, among which one of the greatest masters of his era - Rafael Santi, who lies here with his bride Maria Bibbiena, architect Baldassare Peruzzi, musician Arcangelo Corelli.
Here lie the Italian kings of the Savoy dynasty. In the former Temple of All Gods, the first of the kings of a united Italy is buried - Victor Emanuil II, Father of the Fatherland, as the inscription on his tombstone says. He was glorified by his hard work for the good of the country and his struggle for its unity. The son and successor of the unifier of Italy, King Umberto, who was shot dead in 1900, is also buried in the Pantheon, next to his father. Thirty-six years later, the wife of Umberto, Queen Margarita, was buried in the Pantheon. The guard at the royal burial grounds is provided on a voluntary basis by representatives of the National Institute of Honorary Guard.
Excursions to the Pantheon
You can come to the Pantheon with an organized excursion, for example during a tour of Rome, or go on your own, seeing with your own eyes the grandeur of ancient architecture. Entrance to the temple is open from half past eight in the morning until half past seven in the evening and is absolutely free, however it is closed for visitors on January 1, May 1 and December 25 - during public holidays. The Pantheon is located on the Piazza della Rotonda (Piazza della Rotonda). However, there are a number of details to consider when visiting.
What should be remembered when visiting the Pantheon?
If someone decides to visit, while in Rome, the Pantheon is the Temple of all gods, he must remember that some rules must be observed.
- In the Pantheon, first of all, you must follow the dress code, since it is an active temple. Clothing should be covered. In extreme cases, you can wrap around one of the scarves from the basket near the entrance.
- Do not bring food and drinks into the temple.
- Be sure to turn off your mobile phone. But at the same time, you can take pictures and record videos in the temple.
Curious facts
One of the important distinguishing features of the cultural object under consideration was the fact that the Temple of All Gods in Ancient Rome was the only place where absolutely any resident of the city could come and pray to their gods. This was an innovation, because before that only priests had access to the temples.
Only once a year - on the day of the summer equinox, on June 21 - sunlight, passing through the Pantheon's Eye (a round hole in the center of the temple dome), illuminates the people entering the temple. On the remaining days at noon, sunlight forms a kind of "pillar", and at other hours it alternately illuminates niches with sculptures of saints where statues of gods were previously installed.
The rounded shape of the main part of the Pantheon is due to the fact that once there was a pool on this place, whose foundation became the basis for the temple built by Agrippa.