The Parthenon, 447-438 B.C. and the Pantheon, 117-125 A.D - Research Paper Example

THE PARTHENON, 447-438 B.C. AND THE PANTHEON, 117-125 A.D. The Parthenon, 447-438 B.C. and the Pantheon, 117-125 A.D. Introduction The ancient Greeks and Romans are famous for great architectural works. This is because, despite buildings having been built long time ago, some of these buildings still stand strong in these countries. Parthenon in Greece and Pantheon, in Italy, are good examples of such buildings. This paper will compare and contrast the two historic buildings. The Parthenon, 447-438 B.C. A Parthenon is a temple built between 447 and 438 BC and is specifically dedicated for Athena, the goddess of Athens. Despite its construction having been completed in 438 BC, its decoration continued up to 432 BC. Parthenon has since remained the most historic surviving Temple of the ancient Greece. In fact, its sculptures are considered the main point of reference of the Greek art. It is reported that Parthenon is used as a reminder of Athenians democracy, Ancient Greece and Western European Civilization. Furthermore, the building has been designated as global heritage sites of UNESCO1. Parthenon was constructed entirely using marbles. The marbles used were very strong, which is arguably the reason why the building has survived up to today. Wijesinha reveals that the Greeks strongly believe in simplicity. According to the Greeks, an understatement is elegance, which means that genuine fashion must be simple. The Parthenon was arguably built with the saying in mind according to Wijesinha. In this regard, the Greeks used very tall columns made of three architectural designs namely Ionic, Doric, and Corinthian. Despite the fact that the Parthenon’s pillars were slanted little inwards, it is very difficult to notice since the pillars just appear straight. This architectural design was meant to symbolize perfect straightness since if this could not have been achieved, then the pillars could have appeared as if they were slanting outwards.2 The Parthenon also has friezes and statues beautifully painted with bright colors to symbolize scenes from Greek arts. The building is also surrounded with Peristyle. It is reported that inside the building stands a 12-meter high Athene statue, who is the Athenians goddess. This statue is made of gold and ivory. The statue also appears to hold a Nike figure on one of its hands while in the other hand is a sword. Behind the statue is a room where the Athenians used to make jewelry offerings to the Athene, their goddess. In addition, the Parthenon also has alter where animals and birds were scarifies. This altar is located outdoors where worshipers remained3. The Pantheon, 117-125 A.D. Italy, like Greece, is also famous for its rich history in architecture. The Pantheon is one such amazing building constructed in the Ancient Rome and its history is traced back to120 AD. This is a true manifestation that the building was constructed using one of the best architectural techniques in the world. . The Pantheon is said to have initially been built for all the gods before being changed later to a Christian church4. Pantheon was built using light concrete derived from pumice stone. The front part of the building is pouched and has pillars of about 24 in number painted in whitish-grey colour. Most parts of the building are composed of a large dome supported by a circular drum5. Comparison and contrast between the two ancient buildings Both the Parthenon, 447-438 B.C. and the Pantheon, 117-125 A.D share many similarities in term of their features and significance. For instance, both the Parthenon and Pantheon were built as places of worship6. This is evident from the fact that whereas Parthenon acted as a temple for Athenians, pantheon was used as a Christian Church for the Romans. In fact, we are told that the building has since been converted to a Catholic Church for the Romans in Italy. The two are also similar in terms of their significance. This is because both building were dedicated to the goddess of both the Athenians and Romans. For instance, we are told that Parthenon was specifically dedicated for the Athene goddess while Pantheon was dedicated for all the gods. This is very significant as far as the histories of the two buildings are concerned7. The two buildings are also similar with regard to the structure and materials used in the construction of the building. For instance, it has come out that in front of both buildings are pillars and triangular entrance. These pillars, according to Bulckens are beautifully painted using bright colors8. The paintings and the beautification of the pillars are used to symbolize the great architectural works of both the Greek and Roman architectures. Furthermore, the materials used in the construction of the building are also similar largely. This is because both buildings were built using marble and concretes. In fact, Wijesinha stated clearly that Parthenon was built exclusively with marbles while Pantheon was also made of light concretes derived from pumice stones9. Both buildings as also used to signify the historic events of both Greece and Italy. In this regard, Wijesinha noted that Parthenon in Greece is used to signify Athenians democracy, Ancient Greece and Western European Civilization. All these are revolutions that Greece underwent before becoming a modern society. Therefore, Parthenon is used as a reminder to this great historic time. Similarly, the Pantheon of Italy is also very significant as far as the history of Italy is concerned10. Firstly, the building is recognized as the most peculiar structure built by man. The two ancient buildings also differ significantly. For instance, whereas the Parthenon of Greece was built and dedicated only for the Athenians goddess, the Roman Pantheon apart from being built and dedicated for all the pagan gods, it was also being used as a tomb where heroes were being buried, something, which was not being done in Parthenon11. The other difference can also be seen in the way the building was constructed. In this regard, Wijesinha reveals that the roof of Parthenon in Greece had no dome Pantheon had a circular dome that protrudes on top of the roof12. The dome of the Pantheon is very similar to those found in the modern mosques. Conclusion To sum up, the two buildings are very historic as far as the architectures of the Greeks and Romans are concerned. It is also evident that the two buildings are among the oldest places of worship that still stands strong in the world. This is a true manifestation of the great architectural works of the ancient Greeks and Romans. Bibliography Bulckens, Anne M. “The Parthenons Symmetry.” http://www.mi.sanu.ac.rs/vismath/proceedings/bulckens.htm. The Center for Online Judaic Studies. “The Pantheon, 117-125 CE.” http://cojs.org/cojswiki/The_Pantheon,_117-125_CE. Wijesinha, Rajiva. “Historic buildings II – The Parthenon in Greece 447-438 BC.” 2010. http://rajivawijesinha.wordpress.com/2010/07/31/historic-buildings-ii-the-parthenon-in-greece-447-438-bc/. Read More