192. Traditional Architecture Lesson| History of the Pantheon and St. Peter's

I've wanted to do a deep dive into the history of architectural landmarks, and recently got the chance. Frank Cunha, who I've been talking to via Twitter, offered to talk about some of the buildings that changed how we look at architecture. So, I took him up on his offer. This lesson on traditional architecture will take a look at the Pantheon and St. Peter's to see how Christendom adopted Roman architecture. You can also find out more about Frank at his website or follow him on Twitter.

"Architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness."
Frank Gehry

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Beauty of Traditional Architecture

Truth, beauty, and goodness go together, and they cannot be separated. In order to have a good society, we must value truth and create beauty. Recently, I have talked a lot about restoring beauty in the arts and our architecture, but I don't have the expertise to give you the background.

So, I've tried to find people who know more than me on these things. I've spoken about beauty and architecture with Zach the Architect, Stained Glass Zealot, Amy Mastrine, and The Aureus Press. But, this lesson on traditional architecture will be different because it will not only focus on the beauty of architecture, but we'll dive into the history of some great buildings as well.

History of the Pantheon

The Pantheon is a Roman temple that has had several iterations. Over time, it has been converted to a Catholic church, rebuilt, and renovated. Throughout its storied history, there are instances of tremendous innovation. While the elegance of its design is truly sublime, the history of the Pantheon is incredible as well.

History of St. Peter's

St. Peter's Basilica, likewise, has an incredible history. The history of St. Peter's Basilica as it stands today goes back centuries, and is filled with tough architectural decisions, politics, and strife between artists and the pope. But, what I want to focus on in this conversation is why it was built the way it was and what the architects had to do to give us this tremendous piece of traditional architecture.