Panthéon
The Pantheon is a beautifully constructed example of early neoclassicism. Looking over Paris, The Pantheon derives its name from the Latin word Pantheon that takes on the Greek meaning, “Every God”. In its beginning it was designed to be a church dedicated to St. Genevieve and hold relics dedicated to her, but through the years it became a mausoleum holding the remains of distinguished French citizens. This historical monument was modeled after the Pantheon in Rome. It was designed by Jacques-Germain Soufflot who had originally intended to use the lightness of the gothic cathedral coupled with classic architectural principles. But since it has become a mausoleum, those magnificent “light providing” gothic windows have since been covered.
The Pantheon later became a church in 1744 as King Louis XV took it upon himself to restore its original use; church of the Abbey of St Genevieve. Hoverer, since he was quite ill, he could not fulfill his vow unless he recovered. He later entrusted his wishes to Abel-François Poisson, marquis de Marigny who hired Jacques-Germain Soufflot in 1755 to begin renovation two years later.
The construction of the Pantheon makes it one of the most studied and admired monuments in history. The Corinthian columns work together to form a Greek cross and the monument holds vast lines that show the impressive architecture through the use of building lines the height of 110 meters. One of its most impressive architectural traits is the triple dome style that allows each dome to fit within the other. The inner dome can be viewed from within the second dome to allow an impressive view. With in the inner dome a frescoed image of The Apotheosis of Saint Genevieve, created by Antoine Gros, can be found. The outer dome is created from stone bound together by iron clamps and covered with lead. This type of construction was widely used in France at the time. The triple dome of the Pantheon was Soufflot’s most impressive addition to his most famous work. The outer layer of the triple dome is hidden by flying buttresses that are constructed outwards towards the portico columns.
Although the Pantheon is Soufflot’s claim o fame, he was not able to finish the construction from having died in 1780. The job of overseeing construction was passed on to his student, Jean-Baptiste Rondelet. Soufflot might have been able to finish were it not for the economic difficulties France was undergoing at the time construction began. In the beginning of the French revolution as the newly renovated Abbey of St. Genevieve was completed, it was ordered to be turned into a mausoleum to hold the remains of distinguished French Citizens.
These are not the only things that make the pantheon a significant historical monument. The Pantheon is also home to Auguste Rodin’s sculpture “The Thinker” A great landmark to both architectural history and art history; it has attracted other great art as well. In 2006, Brazilian artist, Leviathon Thot, created an anthromorphic installation of his interpretation of a monster found in the bible.