Pantheon, Rome

The '''Pantheon''' ({{IPAc-en|uk|ˈ|p|æ|n|θ|i|ə|n}}, {{IPAc-en|us|-|ɒ|n}};{{cite book|title=[[Oxford English Dictionary]]|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Oxford, England|date=December 2008|chapter=Pantheon}} {{langx|la|Pantheum}},Although the spelling ''Pantheon'' is standard in English, only ''Pantheum'' is found in classical Latin; see, for example, Pliny, ''[[Natural History (Pliny)|Natural History]]'' [http://latin.packhum.org/loc/978/1/2601/2270-2278@1#2601 36.38]: "Agrippas Pantheum decoravit Diogenes Atheniensis". See also ''[[Oxford Latin Dictionary]]'', s.v. "Pantheum"; ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'', s.v. [http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/137000 "Pantheon"]: "post-classical Latin ''pantheon'' a temple consecrated to all the gods (6th cent.; compare classical Latin ''pantheum'')". {{ety|grc|''Πάνθειον'' (Pantheion)|[temple] of all the gods}}) is an ancient 2nd century [[Roman temple]] and, since AD 609, a [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] church called the '''Basilica of St. Mary and the Martyrs''' ({{langx|it|Basilica Santa Maria ad Martyres}}) in [[Rome]], Italy. It is perhaps the most famous, and architecturally most influential, [[Rotunda (architecture)|rotunda]].

The '''Pantheon''' ({{IPAc-en|uk|ˈ|p|æ|n|θ|i|ə|n}}, {{IPAc-en|us|-|ɒ|n}};{{cite book|title=[[Oxford English Dictionary]]|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Oxford, England|date=December 2008|chapter=Pantheon}} {{langx|la|Pantheum}},Although the spelling ''Pantheon'' is standard in English, only ''Pantheum'' is found in classical Latin; see, for example, Pliny, ''[[Natural History (Pliny)|Natural History]]'' [http://latin.packhum.org/loc/978/1/2601/2270-2278@1#2601 36.38]: "Agrippas Pantheum decoravit Diogenes Atheniensis". See also ''[[Oxford Latin Dictionary]]'', s.v. "Pantheum"; ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'', s.v. [http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/137000 "Pantheon"]: "post-classical Latin ''pantheon'' a temple consecrated to all the gods (6th cent.; compare classical Latin ''pantheum'')". {{ety|grc|''Πάνθειον'' (Pantheion)|[temple] of all the gods}}) is an ancient 2nd century [[Roman temple]] and, since AD 609, a [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] church called the '''Basilica of St. Mary and the Martyrs''' ({{langx|it|Basilica Santa Maria ad Martyres}}) in [[Rome]], Italy. It is perhaps the most famous, and architecturally most influential, [[Rotunda (architecture)|rotunda]].

The Pantheon was built on the site of an earlier temple, which had been commissioned by [[Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa]] during the reign of [[Augustus]] (27 BC–AD 14). After the original burnt down, the present building was ordered by the [[Roman emperor|emperor]] [[Hadrian]] and probably dedicated {{circa}} AD 126. Its date of construction is uncertain, because Hadrian chose to re-inscribe the new temple with Agrippa's original date inscription from the older temple.{{Harvnb|MacDonald|1976|pp=12–13}}

The current Pantheon was built on the site of an earlier temple, which had been commissioned by [[Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa]] during the reign of [[Augustus]] (27 BC–AD 14). After the original burnt down, the present building was ordered by the [[Roman emperor|emperor]] [[Hadrian]] and probably dedicated {{circa}} AD 126. Its date of construction is uncertain, because Hadrian chose to re-inscribe the new temple with Agrippa's original date inscription from the older temple.{{Harvnb|MacDonald|1976|pp=12–13}}

The building is round in plan, except for the [[portico]] with large granite [[Corinthian order|Corinthian]] columns (eight in the first rank and two groups of four behind) under a [[pediment]]. A rectangular [[Vestibule (architecture)|vestibule]] links the porch to the [[rotunda (architecture)|rotunda]], which is under a [[coffer]]ed [[concrete]] [[dome]], with a central opening ([[Oculus (architecture)|oculus]]) to the sky. Almost two thousand years after it was built, the Pantheon's dome is still the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome.{{cite web|url= http://www.romanconcrete.com/docs/chapt01/chapt01.htm|title=The Pantheon|first=David|last=Moore|work=romanconcrete.com|year=1999|access-date=September 26, 2011}} The height to the oculus and the diameter of the interior circle are the same, {{convert|142|feet|metres|order=flip}}.{{Harvnb|Rasch|1985|p=119}}

The building is round in plan, except for the [[portico]] with large granite [[Corinthian order|Corinthian]] columns (eight in the first rank and two groups of four behind) under a [[pediment]]. A rectangular [[Vestibule (architecture)|vestibule]] links the porch to the [[rotunda (architecture)|rotunda]], which is under a [[coffer]]ed [[concrete]] [[dome]], with a central opening ([[Oculus (architecture)|oculus]]) to the sky. Almost two thousand years after it was built, the Pantheon's dome is still the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome.{{cite web|url= http://www.romanconcrete.com/docs/chapt01/chapt01.htm|title=The Pantheon|first=David|last=Moore|work=romanconcrete.com|year=1999|access-date=September 26, 2011}} The height to the oculus and the diameter of the interior circle are the same, {{convert|142|feet|metres|order=flip}}.{{Harvnb|Rasch|1985|p=119}}