Pantheon (not Parthenon)

Every time I saw this site listed, for some reason, I had to specifically say to myself "Pantheon . . . not the Parthenon".  I have no idea why I kept getting them mixed up.  They really don't look all that much alike.

The Parthenon, in Athens--Parthenon means "Place of the Maidens".  It was the temple of Athena.

The Pantheon, in Rome--Pantheon means "All the Gods" and was an ancient Roman temple to lots of gods.  It became a Christian church in the 7th century AD.  Which seems like a reminder of Paul's speech before the Areopagus, which was in Athens, where he talked about the altar to the Unknown God (Acts 17:23). 

What is very interesting about this building is that it has been constantly in use since it was built by the Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century BC.  It has been used in 4 separate millenia! It has stood up pretty well!  That don't make buildings like that anymore.

I think it looks a little like the Vines Center from the side, though not as shiny.







The building is very famous for its round dome, which is a perfect half of a sphere.  The shape, and the hole in the dome, make it very easy to spot in an aerial view map.

The Roman Pantheon, from the back.

The front of the Pantheon
(which does look vaguely like the Parthenon, since both have columns).

An interior view of the Pantheon.

This video by Rick Steves is very good.  It has some interesting trivia about the Pantheon building.  The second half of the video is about the Colloseum and, best of all, he talks about the Roman Centurians who hang around that area!