Parthenon Case

The classical Greek temple, the Parthenon, made use of a type of design that influenced the design and building of Roman Pantheon in some ways. These buildings are prime examples of how architectural style reflects the culture of their designers/ constructors and have influenced considerably the development of Western architecture. The Parthenon and the Pantheon, however, do also possess a number of notable difference which can lead us to believe the Pantheon was in fact, not influenced by the Parthenon specifically, at all. They vary in terms of form, function and technical character.

The remains of the Parthenon, built between 447 and 438 BC, sat on top of the Acropolis (a large, flat-topped hill) in Athens. The thick Doric columns numbered eight on each short side. The decorations were considerably simple and the columns were just thick enough to look awkward to viewers standing at the foot of the steps, an issue which was solved by the use of optical refinements (columns were made subtly thinner at the tops and the slabs of stone which the building was composed of were in fact slightly curved). These traits made the building look heavy. The temple housed many of the main icons of the richest Greek 'city-state', a statue of Athena and the city's treasury. Leading up to the foundation was a large set of stairs which, compared to the people who visited it, may have been twice their height. The huge staircase wasn't just a sign of the Athenian grandeur- the combination of its physical components and its position at the top of the Acropolis meant it was well protected. The date of the creation of the Pantheon is not certain, however, but is estimated to be in the year 125 AD. The Pantheon differed in its functions; while the Parthenon was tribute to the Goddess Athena, the Pantheon was built in favour of all Gods they worshipped.

The Pantheon and the Parthenon differ physically in generally though can be said to be similar in terms of their facades, but while the Parthenon is a structure with largely rectangular dimensions, the Pantheon is much smoother and employs more curves (the main body of the building is round). The design of the Pantheon's portico looks strikingly similar to the Parthenon, however- showing its Greek influence. But this portico leads to the main part of the Pantheon, a cylinder half as high as it is wide, topped by a dome of the same , with a central opening the oculus (a hole in the ceiling which was built to let in light and rainwater, which would fall into an internal drainage system).

Around the inner chambers of the Parthenon, but still inside the outer Doric columns, was a type of wrap-around porch. This kind of open space was evident in most of the buildings on the Acropolis. It allowed citizens to gather and discuss ideas, politics and economics in the first major civilization not ruled by a monarch. The Parthenon was made entirely out of marble, but it was either cheaply made or the technology was not advanced enough to make it smooth and time resistant. Parts of the Parthenon were also highly susceptible to collapse, as marble possesses low tensile strength.

The Pantheon, built in Rome around AD 126, remains in good condition and has not suffered such major damage. The exterior of the Pantheon still looks smoother. The eight Corinthian columns that line the front entrance are not as intrusive as the Doric columns of ancient Greece. They are thinner and ornately decorated. Also, the Pantheon gains its giant size because of its high walls, not by resting its foundation on a large staircase. Again, this makes the temple more delicate than the Parthenon and this difference also infers that the Romans felt much more secure from the dangers of invasion. Unlike the Parthenon that was destroyed by enemies, the Pantheon still stands intact.

Pericles, a leading politician of Athens, was largely responsible for initiating the construction of the Parthenon. The architects Iktinos and Kallikrates designed the building, and the sculptor Phidias supervised its construction and was responsible for the sculptures that would decorate it . As for the Pantheon , the person responsible for the construction has been determined to be the emperor Hadrian , who was a 'conserver of culture '- he installed the representations of the seven deities of the seven planets in the building , possibly as a gesture to the different beliefs of the Roman Empire 's subjects . However, there is no certainty on who the architect primarily responsible for the building's design is, although many believe it is probably Apollodorus of Damascus. While the Pantheon and the Parthenon show certain similarities, such as the appearance of the Façade, the Pantheon is not a copy of the latter. Whilst some stylistic elements have been taken from the Greek Classical style, the Romans were clearly driven by technology and incorporated their skills in engineering heavily (as shown by features of the Pantheon such as the Oculus).

The classical Greek temple, the Parthenon, made use of a type of design that influenced the design and building of Roman Pantheon in some ways. These buildings are prime examples of how architectural style reflects the culture of their designers/ constructors and have influenced considerably the development of Western architecture. The Parthenon and the Pantheon, however, do also possess a number of notable difference which can lead us to believe the Pantheon was in fact, not influenced by the Parthenon specifically, at all. They vary in terms of form, function and technical character.

The remains of the Parthenon, built between 447 and 438 BC, sat on top of the Acropolis (a large, flat-topped hill) in Athens. The thick Doric columns numbered eight on each short side. The decorations were considerably simple and the columns were just thick enough to look awkward to viewers standing at the foot of the steps, an issue which was solved by the use of optical refinements (columns were made subtly thinner at the tops and the slabs of stone which the building was composed of were in fact slightly curved). These traits made the building look heavy. The temple housed many of the main icons of the richest Greek 'city-state', a statue of Athena and the city's treasury. Leading up to the foundation was a large set of stairs which, compared to the people who visited it, may have been twice their height. The huge staircase wasn't just a sign of the Athenian grandeur- the combination of its physical components and its position at the top of the Acropolis meant it was well protected. The date of the creation of the Pantheon is not certain, however, but is estimated to be in the year 125 AD. The Pantheon differed in its functions; while the Parthenon was tribute to the Goddess Athena, the Pantheon was built in favour of all Gods they

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