Nov. 28, 2014 ROME'S PANTHEON

                                           

The Pantheon in Rome is a "must-see" in the itinerary of every traveler who visits Rome for the first time and also for those returning ones because of its irresistible charm. Why is this so? Because this building by its elegance, beauty and reason for being takes the beholder into the realm of wonder and awe only a chosen few among the works of human hands can lay claim to.

Firstly, the Pantheon in Rome is the best preserved in all ancient buildings in the world today. It was commissioned by Emperor Marcus Agrippa between 27 B.C. and 4 A.D. and rebuilt by Hadrian in 126 A.D. To think that it is still standing whole and upright and the object of "ohs and ahs" of everyone who sets foot in it in 2014!

Secondly, through more than 2,000 years after it was built, the dome of the Pantheon in Rome is still the world's largest "unreinforced stone dome." Engineers and architects of the domes of the Basilica of St. Peter; St. Paul's Cathedral in London; the Hagia Sophia in Istambul, Turkey; the White House and the Jefferson Memorial in the United States and others came to Rome and studied the Pantheon before undertaking their projects.

Thirdly, the Pantheon is  considered a "perfect  structure." It is a circular building with the height from the floor to the ceiling to be exactly "the same" as the diameter of the interior circle - 43.3 meters or 142 ft. If one traces an imaginary line between ceiling and sides, the building will be a sphere.

Fourthly, the Pantheon is the only ancient building in "continued use" for the purpose for which it was made - religious! It was constructed to be a "Temple of All Gods." In 609, Emperor Phocas gave it to Pope Boniface IV who made it a Roman Catholic Church and dedicated it to "St. Mary and the Martyrs," informally known as Santa Maria Della Rotonda. Since that time up to the present, Holy Mass is celebrated at the Pantheon. The square fronting it with a grand obelisk is called Piazza Della Rotonda.

Fifthly, the 16 Corinthian granite columns on the facade of the Pantheon are the original ones which were quarried in Egypt's Eastern mountains. Each one is a "whole, uncut granite" column 39 ft. long, 5 ft. in diameter and 60 tons in weight. Special boats were made to transport them through the River Nile, then to the blue Mediterranean Sea and finally up the Tiber River. It must have been a very long journey!

Lastly, the "Oculus"which is the only opening on top of the dome continues to astound the world! It is 30 ft. across and provides the only entry for sunlight which shines at different places within the interior at certain hours of the day. At high noon, sunlight beams directly at the huge bronze entrance door.

During our visit last year, my grandchildren: Diana, Joshua, Christina, Tiffany Anne and Melanie Mary had so much fun standing by the door at high noon with lifted arms basking in the sun looking up to the Oculus. Each one had a snapshot taken to commemorate his/her visit to the Pantheon! Several people followed suit. To even the score, Michael and Christian whom I accompanied this year to a Roman Holiday, also had their pictures taken for posterity! What is more, Bobby had his commemorative photo, too! You should have seen the people who duplicated the stance!
It was interesting to hear them all commenting at the "soothing" heat of the sun on their skin.
This brought to mind several articles I have read about the exalted feeling of "peace/ serenity and space" one experiences while staying quietly for some time under the Oculus. I have desired to do just that in all of my previous visits at the Pantheon, even of this year's, but  on all occasions, it was impossible to do because of the crowd of people within its confines. Could it be that an undefinable phenomenon is happening in this enigmatic building? Do the souls of the illustrious people entombed inside - King Vittorio Emmanuelle, King Umberto I, Queen Margherita and Raphael, the famous artist who painted "The Transfiguration" have something to do with it?

Before leaving, I took a long lingering, grateful   look at the altar of our Mother Mary and the Martyrs' Church. I would have yearned to be one of its parishioners!

On the way out, Carla wanted to check the width of one 60-ton Egyptian column. Together, with Michael and Christian, they wrapped their arms around one of them in the portico. It was amusing to see them carefully positioning themselves as they "hugged" the monstrous column. We had a big laugh upon discovery that their "wraparound" fitted snuggly to a "T."

Then off we went to get our daily dose of Italian "gelato."