Greek and Roman architecture is truly amazing. They each had great ideas, and fabulous productions. It is said that the Pantheon is to Italy what the Parthenon is to Greece. Both are tremendous monuments that reek of culture and history. Each had a purpose which was displayed by the design and construction of each. There are such great meanings behind each of these architecural structures. The Romans and the Greeks alike worshipped and dedicated their structures and designs to the Gods and Goddess they believed in. The Pantheon is a temple to all the Greek gods and goddesses. The Pantheon was a temple in honor of the Olympic gods; in fact, the word pantheon is Greek for "of all the gods" It is the best preserved of all the Roman monuments. Walking into the interior of the Pantheon you will appreciate the enormity of the columns that form the pillared porch. Once inside you'll find yourself looking up in awe at the size of the area above you, until your eyes find the opening in the dome. The pavement of the interior is finely polished marble in patterns of the style called "Opus Sectile" which was popular in ancient Rome. Not only is the Pantheon one of the most amazing architectural structures of the Roman Empire, but it is also one of the most intriguing. It was built during the early second century under the rule of Emperor Hadrian to replace a temple built in 27 B.C. by Marcus Agrippa which had burned down in 80 A.D. Like the temple it replaced, the Pantheon was a dedication to the Roman gods. An intriguing fact about the Pantheon is that it was one of the first buildings where the focus is on the interior rather than the exterior. On the outside, the cella appears in the shape of a cylinder, like that of a drum, which is surmounted by a curved dome. A large porch with eight columns comprizes the entrance of the temple. From the outside of the Pantheon the dome seems shallow and insignificant, said to be purposely done not to ru...
