Pantheon, 1757, Pars France, Roman Architecture, Pseudo-Apollodorus

Sainte-Genevieve Pantheon

History

The Saint Genevieve Pantheon was built by Jacques-Germain Soufflort in about 1757 on the Latin Quarter of Paris France. It was meant to replace an existing older church [2]. After the French revolution it was secularized and dedicated to inspiring Frenchman, hence the name pantheon, “a building in which the illustrious dead of a nation are buried or honored.”[1] The purpose of the Pantheon has changed of the past few centuries since its construction:

 

Today, the structure that we see now is a third reiteration of the pantheon, having been rebuilt over the centuries.

Architecture:

Outside:

The Pantheon is a cruciform shaped building having a high dome in the middle and four smaller domes in its arms. The facade is much like the Roman Pantheon and is formed by a portico of Corinthian columns and triangular pediments attached to the ends of its eastern arms. Instead of joining directly to the rotunda the pediment connects to a rectangular transitional block and although it seems as if the portico and rotunda were built at separate times] as if one is an awkward addition towards the other] that is not the case [3]. This is one of those buildings were the inside is actually more significant the outside. The style of the pantheon is a mix of neoclassicism and Baroque, meaning that it was trying to draw inspiration from the classical arts and culture or earlier times.

Inside:

The pantheon is basically a large drum capped by a dome with its north-facing entrance marked by a portico. Inside the drum there is one single huge space with natural light coming in from a 30 foot oculus. The interior is decorated with paintings and mosaics depicting French history. There are Sculptures of post-revolutionary patriots. The floors and walls are made from fine stone, granite and other colored marbles sourced from across what was known then as the roman empire.

The flooring is laid with marble stiles, which are symmetrical and reflects the armature of the main dome above it.

Light Circulation:

The main high dome, as well as the walls that support the smaller domes brings light directly down towards the center, illuminating the main spaces. This directs people towards the center, as well as the form of the structure.

Structure:

Construction material used was bearing bearing masonry and cut stone. The Pantheon is built on a Greek-Cross scheme of Renaissance roots where its five domes are supported by ranks of widely spaced, slender columns and light triangular crossing piers. The Pantheons Dome remains been the single largest unreinforced dome in the entire world, being about 142 feet in diameter.

The plan

When you look at the plan, there isn’t much to it. There is only one main entrances, all of which leads up to the center high dome, and directs you towards the back [5]. Although because of the great size of the grand dome, its is overshadowed. On top of the grand dome there is an opening, that creates when the sun is out a beam of light that lights up parts of the spaces inside, and when the sun is directly on top of it the light hits directly at its center.

The structure itself consists of two parts, the gigantic dome and the front portico. The front portico resembles Athena’s temple, with a long span if Corinthian columns the spread towards the front, holding the pediment on top. Behind that there is a larger pediment that connects to the second part of the Pantheon, its dome. The dome is supported by columns that follow the outline of its cruciform shape. 

Cited Works

[1] Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Panthéon.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 14 Aug. 2008, www.britannica.com/topic/Pantheon-building-Paris-France.

[2] (c), eutouring.com. “History of The Pantheon in Paris.” History Of The Pantheon In Paris France, www.eutouring.com/history_of_the_pantheon_in_paris.html.

[3] Fiederer, Luke. “AD Classics: Roman Pantheon / Emperor Hadrian.” ArchDaily, 26 Dec. 2016, www.archdaily.com/802201/ad-classics-roman-pantheon-emperor-hadrian.

[4] Great Buildings Drawing - Pantheon in Paris, greatbuildings.com/cgi-bin/gbc-drawing.cgi/Pantheon_in_Paris.html/Pantheon_in_Paris_Plan.html.

[5] "Leaning Center Université Panthéon-Assas, Paris, France : Alain Sarfati/Sarea." Arca International, no. 137, 2017 July-Aug., pp. 29-37. EBSCOhost, arktos.nyit.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bvh&AN=771364&site=ehost-live&scope=site.