The Roman Forum, the Temples of Venus and Rome, the Temple of Bacchus, Domitian's Stadium, the Roman Colosseum, Pont du Gard, the Pantheon, Hadrian's Mausoleum, the House of the Faun, Domus Aurea, and the Arch of Titus are some of the most notable examples of Roman architecture. The architectural style was used extensively throughout Europe after it was imported by the Romans. Many cities across the continent built using a design based on that of Rome, including Paris, Brussels, and London.
Rome wasn't always the capital of Italy. It changed hands several times between the years 753 BC and 27 BC. During this time period, many important events occurred which shaped the future course of European history. The first of these events took place in 752 BC, when King Centhaenus of Greece conquered the city of Rome without putting up a fight. He ruled for only one year before being killed by his own people. Then in 745 BC, Prince Romulus became the new king and he too was very short-lived. He too was killed, this time by his brother Tarquinius Superbus who seized the throne. This is when Rome started its climb to power becoming an empire responsible for ruling part of Europe. The last date associated with Rome's early history is the founding of the Republic in 509 BC. This is when the monarchy was abolished and Rome became a republic governed by elected officials.
The Pantheon and the Colosseum were two of Rome's most prominent structures built during the Pax Romana. The Pantheon, Rome's most renowned domed edifice, is a beautiful temple dedicated to all of Rome's gods. The Colosseum was made of concrete and covered with stone. It was used for athletic competitions and public displays.
The Pantheon was originally built in 27 B.C. as a temple to all of Rome's gods. It was later converted into a church and then back into a temple again before being abandoned when Christianity became the state religion in A.D. 380. Today, it remains one of Rome's most important religious sites. The building is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., except on holidays when it is closed.
The Colosseum was built about A.D. 70 by Emperor Nero as a venue for gladiatorial contests. Over the years, it has been remodeled and expanded so that by the time it is closed up each year it is quite large and can hold almost 50,000 people. It has become one of the most famous landmarks in the world.
Both the Pantheon and the Colosseum were designed by their namesake architects. The Pantheon was built by Marcus Agrippa while the Colosseum was designed by Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus. They are considered some of the best architects of their time.
The fact that many old Roman monuments still survive demonstrates how outstanding Roman building was.
The world-famous domes of ancient Rome allowed them to create vaulted ceilings and chambers that offered huge areas for ancient Roman structures throughout the empire. Domes were commonly seen in ancient Roman temples, bathhouses (thermae), basilicas, and churches. They were also used in large public buildings such as government offices, theaters, and amphitheaters.
The first known dome in history was built by Hernikon in about 752 B.C. The Egyptians also made use of domes later on in history, but they were mostly used for religious purposes. The Greeks are credited with introducing the idea of using domes for architectural purposes around 500 B.C., and it became very popular in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).
Domes were used extensively in Christian architecture after they converted to Christianity in A.D. 321. The Romans used wooden frames covered in canvas or linen for their tents and shelters, and when they built houses they usually used these frames as a basis for their construction. But the Greeks invented the concrete dome around 600 B.C., which led them to build many more structures with this type of roof.
Domes have many advantages over other types of roofs. They allow light and air into deep underground rooms or under bridges where other types of roofs would not fit. They can be used instead of vaults because they do not require any supporting walls underneath.