The Art of the Pantheon: Learning from Visitors
BACKGROUND
The Pantheon was built as a Roman imperial monument nearly 2000 years ago, and its earlier versions go back even further in time. The Pantheon has been recognized since the seventh century as a Catholic church. The Pantheon is renowned for its stunning architecture and global influence on building projects and spiritual-cultural imagination. It is a church, a monument, a burial site, and more—the Pantheon is many things to many people all at once.
While centuries of visitors have made their way to the building, and some have left accounts ranging from rhapsodic to mathematical, there had never been a substantial research study dedicated to what Pantheon visitors make of the space until recently. From 2021-2023, DataWise supported Dr. Thomas Beaudoin, professor of religion at Fordham University, in his project The Art of the Pantheon: Learning from Visitors. This project was funded by the Templeton Religion Trust.
DataWise’s work involved designing, administering, and reporting on an online survey of over 1500 people representing 40 countries, all of whom had visited the Pantheon. Survey respondents shared their most meaningful experience at the Pantheon. They also rated the extent to which visiting the pantheon evoked certain feelings or embodied responses and prompted various outcomes.
FINDINGS
The full report is available in English and Italian. Here, we highlight three findings.
More than 1 million Pantheon visitors are estimated to engage in spiritual exploration each year.
The oculus (round opening at the center of the dome-shaped ceiling) made the largest impression on Pantheon visitors. Many respondents mentioned the oculus when sharing about their most important experience at the Pantheon.
Beauty and awe were the top-rated feelings evoked from visiting the Pantheon. One respondent stated, “words cannot describe the awe I felt inside.”
For more information and future research about how visitor’s experiences as captured in this survey are starting a “trialogue” between visitors, architects, and Catholic leadership, see Prof. Beaudoin’s project webpage.
“DataWise knew how to lead me expertly through each step of the process, from designing and implementing the survey to interpreting the data. I respect and admire not only their great competence and creativity, but their patience with me (as a novice at every step). Working with DataWise has been like taking an eye-opening seminar in conducting survey research” – Tom Beaudoin, Fordham University