360 :: a spherical panoramic journey in 2668 pieces

The Pantheon is a building in Rome, commissioned by Marcus Agrippa as a temple to all the gods of Ancient Rome, and rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian in about 126 AD. The building is circular with a portico of three ranks of huge granite Corinthian columns (eight in the first rank and two groups of four behind) under a pediment opening into the rotunda, under a coffered, concrete dome, with a central opening (oculus) to the sky. Almost two thousand years after it was built, the Pantheon's dome is still the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome. The height to the oculus and the diameter of the interior circle are the same, 43.3 metres (142 ft). A rectangular structure links the portico with the rotunda. It is one of the best preserved of all Roman buildings. It has been in continuous use throughout its history, and since the 7th century, the Pantheon has been used as a Roman Catholic church dedicated to St. Mary and the Martyrs but informally known as Santa Maria Rotonda. (Text based on Wikipedia).

Wikipedia: "Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria di Montesanto are two churches in Rome.

They are located on the Piazza del Popolo, facing the northern gate of the Aurelian Walls, at the entrance of Via del Corso on the square. The churches are often cited as "twin", due to their similar external appearance: they have indeed some differences, in both plan and exterior details.

Looking from the square, the two churches define the so-called "trident" of streets departing from Piazza del Popolo: starting from the left, Via del Babuino, Via del Corso and Via di Ripetta. The first two are separated by Santa Maria in Montesanto, the latter by Santa Maria dei Miracoli.

The origin of the two churches traces back to the 17th century restoration of what was the main entrance to the Middle Ages and Renaissance Rome, from the Via Flaminia (known as Via Lata and Via del Corso in its urban trait). Pope Alexander VII commissioned the monumental design of the entrance of Via del Corso to architect Carlo Rainaldi. This included two churches with central plant, but the different shapes of the two areas available forced deep modifications to the projects.

Both were financed by cardinal Girolamo Gastaldi, whose crest is present in the two churches. [...]

Santa Maria dei Miracoli was begun in 1675 and finished in 1681. With a circular plan, it has an elegant 18th century bell tower by Girolamo Theodoli and an octagonal cupola. The interior has a rich stucco decoration by Antonio Raggi, Bernini's pupil. The monuments for Cardinals Benedetto and Gastaldi were designed by Carlo Fontana, who also provided design for the cupola and the lamp. The busts in bronze were completed by Girolamo Lucenti. At the high altar is the miraculous image of the Virgin which has given the church its name. The first chapel on the right-hand side has an altar dedicated to Our Lady of Bétharram, named after a shrine near Lourdes.".

Wikipedia: The church was built in 1439 on the site of an ancient hermitage, as part of a cloistered monastery of the Hieronymites that existed here from the 15th-16th century. It is the official church of the papal order of knighthood Order of the Holy Sepulchre. A side chapel is dedicated specifically to the Order and a former grand master, Nicola Canali is entombed there. The church contains reminders of Torquato Tasso, the author of Gerusalemme Liberata, the epic poem that retells the deeds of the crusaders who fought to regain possession of the Holy Sepulchre itself. After wandering all over Italy, the poet requested and obtained shelter at the monastery of Sant’Onofrio and spent the last years of his life there.

"The ‘dim religious light’ of the church’s interior is well suited to the almost Gothic lines of its main structure, but the richness of the Renaissance glows in the gold of the frescoes adorning the apse. On the authority of Vasari these are attributed to Peruzzi, though the influence of Pinturicchio is evident in some of them, while others maintain that they are by Jacopo Ripanda in collaboration with Lombard painters. They represent God the Father, the Birth of Christ, the Flight into Egypt, the Coronation of the Virgin, and the Virgin and Child enthroned, surrounded by the Apostles, saints, sybils and angelic musicians." (Georgina Masson: The Companion Guide to Rome, Woodbridge 2009).