In the center of Rome stands an ancient dome almost two thousand years old. As large as half a football field, as heavy as a ten-story building, yet without iron or steel. No beams, no reinforcement: just stone, lime, and ingenuity. A lot of ingenuity.

The trick of materials

Roman engineers knew well the science of weight. At the base of the Pantheon, they used heavy travertine; as they ascended, they replaced it with light pumice stone and reduced the thickness of the dome from six to two meters. A masterpiece that looks like an upside-down mountain.

The oculus: beauty and engineering

That central hole of almost nine meters is not just for letting in light. It reduces the weight at the most critical point and contributes to stability. Even the rain that filters through becomes part of the design, a sign of a millimetric calculation ante litteram.

A living and resilient structure

Eight massive pillars support the base, distributing forces like the roots of an ancient tree. Seven hidden arches in the outer wall absorb lateral thrusts. Everything is designed to work in compression.

The lesson from the past

The Pantheon has seen it all in 1900 years, but its dome is still there, intact. The Romans had no computers, let alone artificial intelligence, but they had intuited the secrets of physics better than many modern engineers.