Art & Architecture
article | Reading time5 min
Due to restoration work from 25 March to 22 April, Foucault's pendulum will not be visible from 26 March.
From prototype to popular attraction there is sometimes only one step. Discover the history of this model with multiple lives!
A MODEL AND MORE
Do you know the architect Jean Rondelet ? He took over the building of the Panthéon after the death of Jacques-Germain Soufflot.
Rondelet designed the model of the Panthéon in the eighteenth century, just before the beginning of the construction of the building. What was its initial purpose? To prove the viability of the project, yes, but not only!
A large project means a large budget. But the coffers are empty. In need of financing, the prototype was exposed to the public in the hope of raising funds. The result is clear: the crowd rushes to admire the work! It becomes an attraction to promote lotteries that will help pay for the building.
© Benjamin Gavaudo
This mini-Panthéon is a replica sectioned off to give a glimpse inside, from the crypt, to the lantern.
Even though modifications have been made to the building, the model is very useful to understand its complexity, such as the construction of the triple dome.
If you look carefully at the crypt, you will see that Rondelet thought of everything by adding some details, to you to find them...
@ Benjamin Gavaudo / Centre des monuments Nationaux
An element of visit
Rondelet's model has not always been kept in the monument.
Initially present in a workshop in the Tuileries, it was installed in rue d'Ulm, then in the Pantheon. It has been accessible on the tour for... 40 years ago!
Tactile desks will allow you to find descriptions and details of each area during your visit.
@ Benjamin Gavaudo / Centre des monuments Nationaux
