The Roman Pantheon: Perfection in Architecture with Livia Galante
The Roman Pantheon is one of the Eternal City's must-see destinations, but it has a deeper historical context to explore. The modern building we tour today was not the original, and much recent scholarship has further explored the different iterations of this building's past life. Together we ask, what was the Pantheon's original purpose? Who designed it? Was it always intended to be a church?
During our time together, we will explore these guiding questions as we take a closer look at this awe-inspiring landmark of Roman History. Michelangelo himself, while visiting, purportedly proclaimed it to be a marvel of “angelic and not human design.” Since antiquity, many architects have copied and borrowed from its blueprints. Examples include the Elks National Memorial in Chicago, the Pantheon of Paris, the Columbia University's Low Memorial Library, the Killian Court Dome at MIT, and the University of Virginia Rotunda.
Led by an expert on Ancient Roman topography, Livia Galante, this Conversation will dive into the robust legacy of this remarkable building – its architecture, its function in society, and its renovations. Designed to inform curiosity as well as future travels, participants will come away with increased comprehension of one of the most important ancient Roman buildings that arrived almost intact to our days.
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Livia obtained a degree in Archaeology at the Sapienza University of Rome and has a Master's degree in the History and Conservation of Cultural Heritage from the University of Roma Tre. Her main field of interest is ancient Roman topography and early Christian architecture; however, she is an accomplished scholar whose teaching ability extends to the Renaissance and Baroque Rome. As a native Roman, Livia is very enthusiastic about sharing the deep love and knowledge she has for her hometown with clients.
This conversation is suitable for all ages.
90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.
Livia was a wonderful moderator. She is extremely knowledgeable and very professional who made the seminar very interesting. We hope she will do more seminars.
I have done several Conversations with Dr. Galante, and they are always interesting and well researched and well presented. Dr. Galante’s enthusiasm for her city and its monuments and art makes these conversations with her very interesting as well as fun.
Very informative and enjoyable. I've been to the Pantheon numerous times and read about it in a number of books, but I still learned many things during this presentation. Also, the ability to ask live questions was great. I had misunderstood something that was said early in the presentation, and when I asked about the issue at the end, Livia Galante was able to clear it up quickly. She's very knowledgeable and at the same time very personable.
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This is one of several that I have done with Dr. Galante. She is so knowledgeable about Rome and it’s history and it’s wonderful sites. I enjoyed seeing domes from around the world and then hearing how it is that they are built and are so strong and resilient. A truly wonderful experience.