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The Pantheon |
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written
by kayanna / 10.24.2005 |
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Part 1: |
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In the morning, the spotlight from the oculus is high up and is not highlighting anything in particular - it just shows its presence. The light has just made its entrance, as though it too has just awoken. A few die-hard admirers sit on the edges, sitting in quiet contemplation before starting their days.
In the middle of the day, the light seems to be the most active. It has traveled as far as it will go, in September almost reaching the tops of heads of the visitors inside the Pantheon. Visitors mill around, noisy and constantly moving. They are at their densest and most active as well. There are so many of them the floor is barely visible.
In the evening, the light has climbed back up high, back towards the oculus. It is preparing to make its exit for the evening, to turn in and leave the Pantheon. Many visitors remain, straying inside on an evening stroll or in between dinner and a gelato. Soon they, too, will begin to feel sleepy and turn towards home.
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Part 2: |
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Inside the Pantheon, the ceiling and the light coming in through the oculus are dominant. The structural wonder of the acoustics, of the accommodation for the rain, and of the planning for the beam of light all impress the visitor. These draw you into the Pantheon in engineering wonder.
In the Piazza de Sant'Ignazio, the buildings appear to fold in a semicircle around the center of the Piazza, as though there is an invisible brick wall in place that the surrounding buildings formed an arch around as they were drizzled on like melted chocolate. This gives a very clearly defined feeling of space and its permanence in this Piazza and focuses the attention on the main flat surface bordering the Piazza - the church.
The Piazza Navona, however, is almost hidden by buildings surrounding it. Most roads dead end at these surrounding buildings, and to find the Piazza, one must find the smaller alleyways between these buildings. Having to worm one's way into the Piazza this way gives it the impression of a secret, hidden glade that opens up after hacking aside the underbrush. The surrounding buildings are all relatively nondescript and short, which focuses the attention on the central fountains, including the Four Rivers fountain, with its tall obelisk mounted in the center.
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