Otherworldly Magical Powers of Pantheon in Rome.

I still remember the day so well. It was early May back in 2007 – my first time in Italy. I stood in front of the Pantheon in Rome, feeling slightly underwhelmed by it’s exterior and completely unaware of what was about to happen. We approached the front door of what looked like “just another old building I studied in architecture school”, but then…

We walked in and a huge sense of overwhelm washed over me. In an instant, I was struck by the extraordinary space, the perfect proportions and an intimate-yet-sublime volume which made me feel lightheaded, that impossible-to-describe quality of light, and I just stood there and cried… It totally didn’t help that there was a choir of young kids singing a song from The Lion King at that precise moment, which only added to the intensity of my emotions. Alas, song or no song, something profound happened to me that day. I learned to let emotions take over (yeah, no kidding) – to really be in the moment and to give in to the extraordinary power architecture can have over us.

Nine years later, in April 2016, I was reunited with this otherworldly building and it’s special magical powers during our trip to Rome. Not only was the Pantheon the very first building that made me cry – it changed everything for me, and taught me how to truly open up to experiences and architecture, and to just let go when faced with majestic and sacred beauty. This time, I didn’t even make it inside before the tears started to flow… She was still as magnificent and as overwhelmingly beautiful as ever, and this time I gave in all the way.

Awe.
Tears.
Goosebumps.
Magical powers.
Majestic beauty.
Otherworldly spatial quality.
Seriously – WOW, dude!!!!!!!

Related Post: #YellowtraceTravels: Rome, Italy.
See all other #YELLOWTRACETRAVELS posts.

Team Yellowtrace have flown to Rome courtesy of Cathay Pacific, who fly to Italy (Rome & Milan) daily. Cathay’s great connections from Australia allow getting from Sydney to Italy in under 25 hours, including transit times. For more information visit cathaypacific.com.au.

The Pantheon, formerly a Roman temple and now a church, is the best preserved Ancient Roman monument. How it managed to survive barbarian raids over the years when the rest of the Roman monuments had been shattered remains a mystery until this day. Many put this down to the fact its structure was way ahead of its time. The exact composition of the material used for the dome construction is still unknown, appearing to be structurally similar to modern day concrete.

The exact age of the Pantheon is also unknown. Most historians claim the first Pantheon was built in 27 BC, but was burned in the great fire of 80 AD. It was once again rebuilt, but was later struck by lightning and burned again in 110 AD. The Pantheon as we know it today was built in 120 AD by the Emperor Hadrian who was passionate about architecture. He designed the building together with Apollodorus of Damascus – the famous Greek architect who was executed by order of the Emperor, due to an argument about the design of the temple. Ouch.

The Pantheon may well be the first building from Classical architecture where the interior was deliberately made to outshine the exterior. Without a doubt, the most fascinating feature is its giant dome with its famous hole at it’s centre that opens the building up to the skies above, known as The Eye of the Pantheon, or The Oculus. The dome was the largest ever built for over 1,300 years, and till this day remains the largest unsupported dome in the world. You guys, this is an extraordinary fact for a building that’s over 2,000 years old – like, totally holy shit! The diameter of the dome is 43.3 meters, with a distance from the floor to the top of the dome being exactly equal to the dome’s diameter. Perhaps it’s these perfect proportions that have such a profound effect on the psyche of it’s visitors.

The Oculus, which appears as a relatively tiny opening when standing beneath it, measures 8.8 meters in diameter. It is the only source of light within, and is symbolic of the connection between the temple and the gods above. Rain occasionally falls through the opening – the geometrically-patterned floor (made from grey granite, red porphyry, Numidian yellow and Phrygian purple marble) is gently sloped to allow for runoff of rainwater on the rare occasion it hits the floor.

It has been said that Michelangelo studied the Pantheon and it’s great dome before starting his work on the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. It is he that said that the building looked more like the work of angels, rather than humans. I simply couldn’t agree more.

We managed to walk past the Pantheon every single day during our week-long stay in Rome, making our way inside on three separate occasions – morning, afternoon and evening. Each time she took my breath away, showcasing a different side of her beauty in various light conditions.

Look… At the end of the day, it’s not as though one needs a further excuse to visit a city like Rome, but if I had to pick the single most important reason as to why you ought to book your trip, the Pantheon would have to be it. Quite seriously.

Dearest Pantheon, you are the queen of all buildings. Thank you for all that you’ve taught me. In fact, even writing this post, looking at the photos and reliving my experience has made me all goose-bumpy and misty-eyed… You will always remain as my favourite building in the world.

Always, Mama Yellowtrace xx

Related Post: #YellowtraceTravels: Rome, Italy.
See all other #YELLOWTRACETRAVELS posts.

Team Yellowtrace have flown to Rome courtesy of Cathay Pacific, who fly to Italy (Rome & Milan) daily. Cathay’s great connections from Australia allow getting from Sydney to Italy in under 25 hours, including transit times. For more information visit cathaypacific.com.au.

[Photography © Nick Hughes/ Yellowtrace.]