(Drivebycuriosity) - Recently I visited Rome where I stayed about 3 weeks. I was impressed by the many ancient Roman buildings which are spread all over the city. They still show elegance and power. And the visit opened my eyes how ancient Roman has been influencing architecture & design over many centuries till today.
I was most impressed by the Pantheon (here my report driveby). Emperor Hadrian led the temple build about 126 AD (now a Catholic church). The awesome dome was constructed with concrete which survived over 1900 years. Besides the longevity the beauty of the construction is stunning.
No wonder that the dome has been copied all over the world. Above the awesome dome of St. Peter's Basilica.
Above the majestic domes of Basilica Di San Giovanni In Laterano followed by Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore & Parrocchia Santissima Trinità`dei Pellegrini, all in Rome.
The Americans copied the Pantheon for their government buildings, above the dome of the Capitol in Washington DC and the capitol in Austin, the capital of Texas.
Even modern architects copied the Pantheon. Above the dome of the Sony Center in Berlin (designed by star architect Helmut Jahn, opened in the year 2000).
I was also fascinated by these arches. Above you can see the Arch of Constantine followed by the Arch of Titus. Both are standing at the edge of the Roman forum (Forum Romanum) complex in the heart of Rome. Arches were build to celebrate the Roman military victories, which they had a lot.
These arches also where often copied, for example by the builders of London`s Marble Arche, Paris` Arc de Triomphe and the arch on New York´s Washington Square.
Roman style, especially the use of doorway arches & columns, fascinated many architects & designers and inspired them.
Above you can see the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, simply called Colosseu Quadrato, in Rome´s district EUR.
Mussolini and his fascists were so impressed by ancient Rome that they planned a new city in the classical Roman style. This idea got realized with the construction of Rome´s southern suburb EUR in the 1950s. Today EUR`s architecture shows a bit the fascist history and the obsession
with the Roman Empire, but I like the clear & elegant geometric
structures which give the buildings a futuristic approach. The
architecture of EUR reminds me also of the Bauhaus style - a piece of art (here my report about EUR).
Even the subway stations in EUR are influenced by ancient Rome.
Architects all over the world got inspired by Rome`s designs, above the Konzerthaus Berlin, a concert hall situated on the Gendarmenmarkt square (build in the 19th century by the famous city planer Karl Friedrich Schinkel) and the entrance to an university building close to New York`s Washington Square.
Rome`s empire may have disappeared, but her style seems to live forever.
PS For illustration I took some pictures I took visiting Rome, other places and my Manhattan neighborhood.
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