The Panthéon
By:Alissa Goytia
What is the Panthéon?
It was originally built as a church dedicated to St. Genevieve, but in the French Revolution many changes happened, and it became a famous burial place. That is why the Panthéon is sacred ground in Paris. During the war King Louis XV was ill and he vowed that he would build a basilica if he recovered. While he was sick he prayed to the patron saint of Paris, Saint Geneviève. When he finally recovered he dedicated this extraordinary building after her name.
Many important people are buried here such as Félix Éboué, a member of the colonial administration, became the first dark-colored Frenchman to enter into the hallowed ground, in 1949. All but one of the 71 great men are, indeed, men. Marie Curie, the first woman to enter into the hallowed ground, in 1995, is buried here with her husband.
Where is the Panthéon?
Why I choose this topic?
Crypt
The Paris Panthéon has a large crypt, covering the whole surface of the building accommodates a series of great arches with great French public figures.
Jean Bernard Léon Foucault's famous experiment
The Panthéon was also the place where, in 1851, the astronomer Jean Bernard Léon Foucault first held his famous experiment, proving that the world spins around its axis.
The beautiful paintings
How are the Panthéon in Paris and the Pantheon in Rome different?
Many people get the Paris Panthéon and the Roman Pantheon confused, but they are very different. The Roman Pantheon was built for gods. The Paris Panthéon was built as a church dedicated to St. Genevieve, but was later on change. The Paris Panthéon dome features three superimposed shells, similar to the St. Paul's Cathedral in London. Iron reinforcements were added to strengthen the structure even more. The exterior of the Roman Pantheon dome is covered with lead plates, which replaced the original gilded bronze tiles. Hadrian, the architect, filled the interior with a mound of dirt with gold to make sure it would be removed after the construction was complete. The only reason they seem so alike is because the Roman Pantheon is a model for the Paris Panthéon.