The Pantheon in Rome is a rare ancient building because it has resisted the decay of time so well. One reason it is such a treasure is that it is the only intact example of architecture of the time of that size, age and span. The ability of The Pantheon to hold up for centuries is no accident - rather, it reflects a genius of engineering skill.

Many designers have copied and even equalled the amazing design of this building, but none have done better at introducing true innovation in architecture as the Pantheon did. This is even more phenomenal when you take into account that the building was designed in 125 AD under the Roman emperor Hadrian.

The basic design is one that is brilliantly simple, placing a round enclosure next to a rectangular entryway. The gateway to the Pantheon is built in the style of a Greek portico, using columns made of granite and finished off with a triangular pediment on top. The entrance is supported by three rows of 39 foot Corinthian columns. Eight of those supports are at the front and then there are two sets further in - each with four supports that lead you onward toward the central rotunda. So the rectangular section serves the function of joining the rotunda and the portico.

That design plan is deceptively simple but phenomenally effective.

For example, the massive dome of concrete that is on top of the round central component is of such elegant design and of such high quality of construction that anything less in the design of this dome would have collapsed under its own weight.

That huge dome is 142 feet across. By way of comparison, that makes it 46 feet bigger than the crowning that is on top of the White House that stands in Washington DC. The oculus of the dome at its zenith is 25 feet of that span. The unique composition, brilliant engineering and amazing construction standards are the reasons for the dome that is virtually impervious to the ravages of time.

It’s easy to think that the opening in the center of that large oculus is just for artistic design. But it has an important job of reducing the weight of the dome. It is also perfectly balanced to distribute the stress of the dome’s weight around its circumference. This makes the dome as resistant to being crushed as a bicycle wheel that we are familiar with.

That opening also allows light into the interior, providing a perfect natural lighting. However it also lets in the elements such as the rain so the floor below is well designed to drain off water accumulation to drains that keep it safely out from underfoot.

The way the weight of dome tapers from base to peak is yet another demonstration of the genius of the designers. Starting at 20 feet of thickness at the base of the dome, the structure tapers down to a mere 7.5 feet at the oculus. In addition the materials used in the dome are heavier at the base and lighter near the top. This is again a simple but powerful design decision that has helped the Pantheon stand as long as it has. And that genius is even more amazing when you consider that the design genius of the Pantheon was ignored by future designers for 1000 years before later generations began to understand the brilliance of that design.

The outcome is that now over 2000 years from when the Pantheon was built in Rome, it is just as solid as any new building in the city. Consider as well that this construction plan was executed without the use of high technology or modern tools and machines we take for granted in our modern age.

Furthermore, the Pantheon engineering team had to bring off this brilliant plan without any sophisticated transpiration resources. That means that everything used in the creation of the building was floated in on the Tiber River and then slowly and laboriously moved by carts to the site using sheer muscle power of men and animals.

The huge bronze doors of the Pantheon have undergone a number of restorations over the years. But there has never been any serious structural repair needed or done to the Pantheon at any time in the history of the building. That record is even more amazing considering that the Pantheon was built on marsh land.

To get perspective, a similar structure that was built on soft ground underneath the structure is the Leaning Tower of Pisa. But unlike the Pantheon, that building has been under virtual non-stop preservation efforts to keep it from falling. In Greece, the Parthenon - although a magnificent structure - is now only a faint memory of the glory of what it was 2000 years ago.

In the 8th century, the Roman Pantheon was converted to be used as a church. And unlike buildings of similar age that are carefully left untouched, the Pantheon continues to serve as a church to this very day. Since it was built in the first century, the Pantheon has never known a time when it was not in constant use.

Many modern architects have copied the amazing design of the Pantheon. Some famous architecture that was inspired by the Pantheon includes the Thomas Jefferson Rotunda at the University of Virginia as well as the Reading Room of the British Museum.

But it is always good to admire the original design on display in the Roman Pantheon.

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