HISTORIC MEMORY 
ON THE HOME 
DU 
FRENCH PANTHEON, 
DIVIDED INTO FOUR PARTS: 

The I.re contains the description of this Monument. 
The II. 0 the historical and reasoned detail of its construction. 
In the III.0 Part it is examined whether the walls and support points 
of the Dome have the necessary dimensions to withstand the 
efforts that they have tl support. 
IV.8 Part contains the exact details of all accidents( which 
have manifested themselves at the pillars of the Dome, the causes of these 
accidents, 1and the various means proposed to repair them. 
P..1.n J. RONDELET, Architect, former Works Commissioner 
public, and Member of the Civil Buildings Council. 
IN PARIS, 
At Du Po NT, Imprimeur-Libraire, rue de 1a Loi, N.o Jz31. 
Year c.-1797.
HISTORICAL MEMORY 
ON THE HOME 
DU 
FRENCH PANTHEON, 
DIVIDED INTO FOUR PARTS: 
The I.re contains the description of this Monument. 
The II. 0 the historical and reasoned detail of its construction. 
In the III.0 Part it is examined whether the walls and support points 
of the Dome have the necessary dimensions to withstand the 
efforts that they have tl support. 
IV.8 Part contains the exact details of all accidents( which 
have manifested themselves at the pillars of the Dome, the causes of these 
accidents, 1and the various means proposed to repair them. 
P..1.n J. RONDELET, Architect, former Works Commissioner 
public, and Member of the Civil Buildings Council. 
IN PARIS, 
At Du Po NT, Imprimeur-Libraire, rue de 1a Loi, N.o Jz31. 
Year c.-1797.
 

r 
'.A V AN T-P R OP OS. 
L1:s accide11s arrived at the pillars of the dome of the 
As the French pantl1eon has attracted the attention of the public and of the government, I have decided to publish this brief in order to make this monument to national recognition known in all its details, 
et sur-tout tout le n1Žcanisme de sa constructiqn, et dont j'ai ŽtŽ particuli�rement chargŽ d1�s 1770ejusqu'ˆ la fin du -mois de florŽal de l'an seconde de l'�re rŽpublicain, que je fut non1mŽ, par laeConvention nationale , membre de la commissiones travaux publics.
I had obtained the confidence of J. G. Soiifflot,. 
The author of this monument, for the part of the council, is the author of this monument.
-destruction, on the occasion of a memoir in response to the citizen Paw, in which I proved that the spherical vaults have no thrust, 
and that consequently they do not require walls whose thickness is greater than that which they have from below. I have attached to this memorandum 
drawings to show that it was possible 
to erect, without cantilevering over the pillars already built, a circular doos inside the building. 
The outer decoration is to be worn by four of the four pillars, the minimum width of which is 5 feet long, and in order not to exceed this width, the outer decoration is to be worn by four of the four pillars. 
r 
'.A V AN T-P R OP OS. 
L1:s accide11s arrived at the pillars of the dome of the 
As the French pantl1eon has attracted the attention of the public and of the government, I have decided to publish this brief in order to make this monument to national recognition known in all its details, 
et sur-tout tout le n1Žcanisme de sa constructiqn, et dont j'ai ŽtŽ particuli�rement chargŽ d1�s 1770ejusqu'ˆ la fin du -mois de florŽal de l'an seconde de l'�re rŽpublicain, que je fut non1mŽ, par laeConvention nationale , membre de la commissiones travaux publics.
I had obtained the confidence of J. G. Soiifflot,. 
The author of this monument, for the part of the council, is the author of this monument.
-destruction, on the occasion of a memoir in response to the citizen Paw, in which I proved that the spherical vaults have no thrust, 
and that consequently they do not require walls whose thickness is greater than that which they have from below. I have attached to this memorandum 
drawings to show that it was possible 
to erect, without cantilevering over the pillars already built, a circular doos inside the building. 
The outer decoration is to be worn by four of the four pillars, the minimum width of which is 5 feet long, and in order not to exceed this width, the outer decoration is to be worn by four of the four pillars. 
 

-¥ 
( 2 ) 
big bows. This decoration consisted of four 
colonnades in front of the faces 
of a kind of square temple, stu-mounted with a 
round dome in the middle. Soufflot, conte.nt de mes 
means of construction, charged me to make some 
the application to a cut-away dome project 
that he imagined, then to a circular dome project 
with forebodies, and finally to the existing one... 
which was his last idea. 


Mon mŽmoire est divisŽ en quatre parties ; la 
premi�re comprend une description gŽnŽrale de 
l'intŽrieur et de l'extŽrieur du PanthŽon fran�ais. 
D.tu;:; l-�L ;:;econde partie, fexplique la mani�re 
ádont cet Ždifice a ŽtŽ construit, les moyens particuliers 
que l'on y a e1nployŽ, et les motifs pourelesquels ils ont ŽtŽ mis en oeuvre.eDans la troisi�me partie , il est question de l'Žpais..eseur que doivent avoir les murs circulaires desed™mes en gŽnŽral, pour rŽsister ˆ l'effort desevo�tes en coupole qu'ils soutiennent. Je parle ˆece sujet d'un mŽmoire que le citoyen Patte fitimprim<'r en 1770, dans lequel il prŽtend prouverequ'il Žtoit impossible d'exŽcuter la coupole projetŽeealors pmu la nouvelle Žglise de S.¥¥ Genevi�ve,e;parce que , selon lui , il auroit fallu plus de 8 piedsed' Žpaisse1uá au mur circulaire po1uá la soutenir ete¥ 
( 2 ) 
grands arcs. Cette dŽcoration consistoit en quatre 
colonnades en avant-corps au-devant des faces 
d'une esp�ce de temple carrŽ , stu-montŽ d';une 
coupole ronde au milieu. Soufflot, conte.nt de mes 
moyens de construction, me chargea d'en faire 
l'application ˆ un projet de d™me ˆ pans coupŽs 
qu'il imagina, ensuite ˆ un projet de d™me circulaire 
avec des avants-corps, et enfin ˆ celui existant 
, qui fut sa derni�re idŽe. 
Mon mŽmoire est divisŽ en quatre parties ; la 
premi�re comprend une description gŽnŽrale de 
l'intŽrieur et de l'extŽrieur du PanthŽon fran�ais. 
D.tu;:; l-�L ;:;econde partie, fexplique la mani�re 
ádont cet Ždifice a ŽtŽ construit, les moyens particuliers 
que l'on y a e1nployŽ, et les motifs pourelesquels ils ont ŽtŽ mis en oeuvre.eDans la troisi�me partie , il est question de l'Žpais..eseur que doivent avoir les murs circulaires desed™mes en gŽnŽral, pour rŽsister ˆ l'effort desevo�tes en coupole qu'ils soutiennent. Je parle ˆece sujet d'un mŽmoire que le citoyen Patte fitimprim<'r en 1770, dans lequel il prŽtend prouverequ'il Žtoit impossible d'exŽcuter la coupole projetŽeealors pmu la nouvelle Žglise de S.¥¥ Genevi�ve,e;parce que , selon lui , il auroit fallu plus de 8 piedsed' Žpaisse1uá au mur circulaire po1uá la soutenir ete


( 3 ) 
})Our rŽsister ˆ l'effort de sa poussŽe. J'explique 
ensuite la mani�re dont les pendentifs et les arcades 
qui soutiennent le d™me se combinent, et les effets 
<.flli en rŽsultent. Je fais l'historique des expŽriences 
qui ont ŽtŽ faites pour connoitre la charge que les 
pierres peuvent porter avant de s'Žcr‰ser, et particuli�rement 
celles dont on s'est servi po1uá la consn
áuction de ces piliers. Je donne le rŽsultat de.s 
expŽriences comparatives, faites ˆ ce sujet, avec 
trois machines diffŽrentes; et apr�s avoir fait des 
observations sur la diffŽrence considŽrable de ce$ 
rŽsultats, je propose d'en faire de nouvelles, con{. 
binŽes de mani�re que le poids agisse immŽˆi.ate1nent 
sur la pierre. Enfin, apr�s avoir fait 
l'application de cesá expŽriences aux piliers dž 
dome ) j'examine s'il es.t nŽcessaire de fortifier le 
bas de la tour <les d�mes , a.fin de les contreventer, 
ainsi que le propose Patte, dans son 
mŽmoire. 
La quatri�me partie contient : 1¡. Un Žtat 
dŽtaillŽ des accidens qu'ont ŽprouvŽs les piliers du 
d™me, depuis l'Žpoque de la construction des arcs 
et des pendentifs jusqu'ˆ prŽsent, avec le dŽtail 
des restaurations qui y ont ŽtŽ faites en diffŽrens 
temps; 2¡. un prŽcis des vŽritables causes des 
accidens arrivŽs aux piliers du d™me; 3¡. le dŽtail 
des moyens proposŽs par les architectes formant 
A2 
( 3 ) 
})Our rŽsister ˆ l'effort de sa poussŽe. J'explique 
ensuite la mani�re dont les pendentifs et les arcades 
qui soutiennent le d™me se combinent, et les effets 
<.flli en rŽsultent. Je fais l'historique des expŽriences 
qui ont ŽtŽ faites pour connoitre la charge que les 
pierres peuvent porter avant de s'Žcr‰ser, et particuli�rement 
celles dont on s'est servi po1uá la consn
áuction de ces piliers. Je donne le rŽsultat de.s 
expŽriences comparatives, faites ˆ ce sujet, avec 
trois machines diffŽrentes; et apr�s avoir fait des 
observations sur la diffŽrence considŽrable de ce$ 
rŽsultats, je propose d'en faire de nouvelles, con{. 
binŽes de mani�re que le poids agisse immŽˆi.ate1nent 
sur la pierre. Enfin, apr�s avoir fait 
l'application de cesá expŽriences aux piliers dž 
dome ) j'examine s'il es.t nŽcessaire de fortifier le 
bas de la tour <les d�mes , a.fin de les contreventer, 
ainsi que le propose Patte, dans son 
mŽmoire. 
La quatri�me partie contient : 1¡. Un Žtat 
dŽtaillŽ des accidens qu'ont ŽprouvŽs les piliers du 
d™me, depuis l'Žpoque de la construction des arcs 
et des pendentifs jusqu'ˆ prŽsent, avec le dŽtail 
des restaurations qui y ont ŽtŽ faites en diffŽrens 
temps; 2¡. un prŽcis des vŽritables causes des 
accidens arrivŽs aux piliers du d™me; 3¡. le dŽtail 
des moyens proposŽs par les architectes formant 
A2 







( 4 ) 

the Civilian Buildings Council and the Inspectors 
Generals of the Bridges and Roads, consulted by 
the Minister of the Interior, strr the means to restore 
the pillars, and give them all the solidity 
that a monument of this importance requires, of which 
There is no time limit. 

Artists and educated people who read this book will be able to 
the submission, will judge, on the basis of the submissions and 
objections made by engineers to each other 
and arcl1itectes , which of these means 
are preferable. 

There is no doubt that many artists do not 
the information that they are rushing, according to the information that they 
will be able to draw on this brief to propose 
..other ways that will shine a new light, 
according to which the government will take 
a definite party to come promptly. 
to the rescue of a building that is of such great interest 
the glory of the nation than the glory of the arts. 


 

HISTORICAL MEMORY 

,.

ON THE HOME 

OF THE FRENCH PANTHEON. 

PART ONE 

Description of the French Pantheon. 

The irnxncE that currently bears the name of PanthŽon 
French, was begun in 1757, to replace the a11cie1111e 
church of S. Gene-vj�ve. The construction of this 
the achievement of a splendid example was, it is said, the accomplishment of a 
A vow made by Louis XV, during his illness in Metz. Plu... 
Several architects competed to give the plans; 
but Soufflot prevailed with his beautiful disposition.., 
that sees. nothing in common with the one that routine 
has been adopted for several centuries. 

The general shape of the plan of this building is a species 
of Greek crosses, composed of quatie naves that meet 
to a centrally located d...me. In the foreground 
of the author, the four naves were equal, resulting 
both inside and outside, a regularity and a 
perfect symmetry; but he was obliged to depart from the beauty 
of this provision, by reason of the grounds of convenience rcbtifs 
to the cult, by lengthening the entrance nave and that of the back by 
arcaded parts that do not fit with the 
like ell columns adopted for the naves. The external shape.., 


 

, 

( 6 ) 

was also altered by the two towers of which it was o.bligŽ d... 
flanking the nave at the back. 

In addition, this building, in the state 011 it is in, is without 
one of the most beautiful and boldest that have ever been 
has been built since the renaissance of the arts. Considered 
as a temple, it is of the kind that the Greeks 
called Prostile J to ca11se du porche or pronaos, of which 
the main entrance is decorated. This porch is a species 
exastile, because the face is made up of six columns 
equally spaced and placed on the same line; but 
he had dif...re because of the two back columns - body... 
placed at the ... extremityi;. This...; columns are of the order 
the number of viugt -two, of which there are two. 
eighteen isolated ones; those forming the exastile side are 
crowned with a large pediment. The tympanum is adorned with a 
bas-relief that is nearly 100 feet long. The 
diameter of the columns is 5 feet 6 inches. Their height 
of 58 feet 3 inches, including base and ohapitaux. I.ea 
flutes, with ornamented shafts, are of the species 
of the so-called rough ones. The inter-view, 
which is key less than three diameters, is of the- kind 
of those that the Greeks called the diastile nommoieot. 

The destiny given to this edifice by the . decree of . 
the Constituent Assembly of 4 April 1791, having demanded to 
to change all the bas-reliefs and attributes that it was made of. 
decorated, as the church of Saint Genevieve, we had to go 
to remove the one that was in the eardrum of the pediment. 
The subject was a radiant cross, with clouds and 
Worshipping angels. This bas-relief was made by the late Coustou. The one 
that we see there now is lvloitle. This artist has 

 

\ 7 ) 
‘Developed in its composition the idea of the inscription placed 
In the frieze: - At the Great lLCtmmes, the [...]!! atrie recon-. 
noiss,_ante. 

-e" (1) It is also the Homeland which appears in this oas-i-elief,e, as the principal divinity of the temple. Symbols 
"ecaractŽi;istics of France accompany him. An autele
"eahargŽ of festoons and renumerative signs is .ˆ1 c™te?' of her. She took the crowns from there, which she tied.
"and that his outstretched arms present to the Emu1atione,... public,... L'une d'elle vient se reposer sur la t�te de lae)> Vertu. A shy look, a modest posture, and a strong sense of self-confidence.

, 

"etiste wanted to make it understood that the truth see

>>I'm happy to deserve the rewards; that eJ!e can't deny...
"to solicit them nor to flee from them, but that the Fatherland will always know
"Always find it and let me know.

"eA very different character ... bril}e <':t develops in 'e
"the opposite figure: the Genie personified under f. 
"The figure of a handsome young man with wings; a club, sym." 
bole of the strength that overcomes all obstacles is in his left hand. It was only to show him the recom
"and so his right hand grasps the crown which you hold in your hand
"ela Pat-rie. Her air, her attitude,... and all the expression dee
"It appears, announces the boldness 1 and that of...ir of glory and summer...
"This ambition of the rewards that are due,> Genius. As Virtue awaits the crown, Genius

(1) In the description of this lias-relief, if that of all those guiled up re-done, E'.SL takes from a report made on :,. the second month of the year 2, by 
the citizen Qttatrcmere-Quincy, on the board of directors of the department, of which i] was a member 
the co-commissioner for the di1-sectionn anddadministrationnof the Pantl,eon, 
fran9liS. It's in Celtic that he dii'igated the changenicns, suppressed... 
...ions and... erobellissemens que l'y a fo.it jusqu'en genn.inlll de l'an 2. 


 

( 8 ) 

È 
the snatch: these are the main features cpii differentiates
"ec..s two figures.e

"e:Mais ce qui forme leur cortŽge, ou ce - qui vient ae
"...and then, after them, they pronounced the character even better...

)> Behind the Vertg , the Genie of Freedom is hovering in the air; 
he holds in one hand the palladium of Ja France; the other hand 
...grabbed by their manes, and drove, as if in triumph, 
"Two lions harnessed to a chariot filled with the principal attri... This chariot struck down Despotism; one)> recognized him as a figure overturned on ruins, in his own
"eregrets and to the dagger that he has left, and that he will spin
"against himself.

1 
>) The triumph of the Genie is of another kind. His true 
"econquests are on! 'Error; that's the price he'll get

È 
from now on access to the Temple of the Fatherland. This is the meaning of the group that ends the left parlie_gauche of the pediment, 
...it shows the Genius of Philosphy, armed with the flnmbeatie...
È 
of the Truth, who- fight! 'Error and Prejudice.

"eThe artist represented them in the form of the griffin,e
"chimeric animal which, in the language of allegory,e
"e has become the symbol of error; one of them rect recto to lae
"the light of the torch that destroys the magic; the other expires...
"esous 1es pieds dn GŽnie. The chariot in which they drown
È 
yoke offers, overturned and tipped over, all embMmese
"of various superstitions. The lituus, the hyero tables...
"eugenics, the instruments of the mysteries, the sacred tripod, and the
"All these signs, which have for a while fooled the imagination...
"By tampering with the senses, they pay homage to their chi'ne homage...
"water Ge11y of Reason, and occ1;1pent the part the pluse
"' crawling from the pediment. Èe

The inside of the porch is divided into three parts; the one on the left is a

from 


 

.( 9 5 
...the middle ...includes three in ...olonne1 ...1ens; ell ... 11 55 feet ... 
10 sanders length, taken from the front of the baseboards dice 
column bases, 53 feet 9 inches wide - 
from the inner plinth of the bases t:the columns -to the front of the bases 
from the base of the back wall. 
The main entrance door placed in the milieti, forms 
forebody on the 1n'u:r of the back; it is decorated with a 
frame with all the mouldings carved in ..:
mens and a dentilled cornice, supported by two 
big consoles. 
In the frieze is a gilded bronze iuscritption, bearing 
these words: PanthŽo,i Fran�ais, l'an IV.' de la libertŽ.
We took advantage of the change in the reliefs, 
to remove all the frames that surrounded the...s 
old ones, Ejt to remove the new, new... cl'ul\e mapi,�re iJlus, 
Suitable for recessing into the wall:, - 1 1 l 
The large bas-relief placed above the door, replaces 
the one in Bovet, in which he represented S.-- Gene--; 
a virgin distributing bread to the poor, in a time of 
famine. The latter, executed by Boichot, is about... 
cc Human Rights, which this arList has; represented by 
"ela Nature under the emblem of urey half-naked woman half-summer
"half-dressed, to express that 'never man n� lae
"econnoltrate all. This figure, which occupies the
"lower middle, relief, holds a horn of aoonda11ce, sym)) 
production; that of destruction is taken over by the production company.
"smelled by a vulture that ... is at his feet. His other
"emain leans on the human rights table, which it has
"epresent to astonished France. Nature leads to sae
"esu.ite his two companions, Equality and Liberty. LaeB 


.( 9 5 
...the middle ...includes three in ...olonne1 ...1ens; ell ... 11 55 feet ... 
10 sanders length, taken from the front of the baseboards dice 
column bases, 53 feet 9 inches wide - 
from the inner plinth of the bases t:the columns -to the front of the bases 
from the base of the back wall. 
The main entrance door placed in the milieti, forms 
forebody on the 1n'u:r of the back; it is decorated with a 
frame with all the mouldings carved in ..:
mens and a dentilled cornice, supported by two 
big consoles. 
In the frieze is a gilded bronze iuscritption, bearing 
these words: PanthŽo,i Fran�ais, l'an IV.' de la libertŽ.
We took advantage of the change in the reliefs, 
to remove all the frames that surrounded the...s 
old ones, Ejt to remove the new, new... cl'ul\e mapi,�re iJlus, 
Suitable for recessing into the wall:, - 1 1 l 
The large bas-relief placed above the door, replaces 
the one in Bovet, in which he represented S.-- Gene--; 
a virgin distributing bread to the poor, in a time of 
famine. The latter, executed by Boichot, is about... 
cc Human Rights, which this arList has; represented by 
"ela Nature under the emblem of urey half-naked woman half-summer
"half-dressed, to express that 'never man n� lae
"econnoltrate all. This figure, which occupies the
"lower middle, relief, holds a horn of aoonda11ce, sym)) 
production; that of destruction is taken over by the production company.
"smelled by a vulture that ... is at his feet. His other
"emain leans on the human rights table, which it has
"epresent to astonished France. Nature leads to sae
"esu.ite his two companions, Equality and Liberty. LaeB 
 

t 10 d 

"eRenommŽe is seen in the air; she announces .a tous les 


"peoples the awakening of France, and the reign of Liberty. Èe

The bas-relief that is in the rear body on the right side of the 
door, replacing one by Julien, representing S.'- Genevi�ve 
...who heals his mother's ye... The subject of this new 
bas-relief is cc the empir,e of the Law. It shows the Fatherland, 
"With the scepter in hand, the people learn that the laws she presents to them are the expression of the general will of God. å. This signal an old man prostrates himself and swears to God.
"Obey; a young warrior comes forward and swears to defend it..." This bas-relief... is from Fortin. "e

Underneath is this epigraph in an elongated frame: 
"To obey the Law is to reign with it. 


-In the hindquarters to the left of the door, there was a stocking.


relief of DuprŽ, in which he had represented S.-- Genevi�ve 
i:ocevo.nt un<>-n.6<lniHc -<the 1nain,s of S. Germain, 
ev...que tl'Auxerre. Whoever replaces him represents the 
new Jurisprudence. cc La Patrie, sitting at the entrance to the 
"Temple of Loix, show the Innocence the statue of Lae...
"eJustice, and the worthy institution of the jlll'J... The Innocencee)> eagerly embraces this tutelary statue. Two" figures, namely the Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence, are 
)> standing, and seem to enjoy the pleasure they will have in 
"by being more than defenders of the innocent. This book
"e is from Roland. 


The epigraph, which can be read in the frame below, is:e

In the reign of the Loix, innocence is quiet. 

In each I these hindquarters have been placed, underneath... 
of the bas-relief, a colossal figure on a pedestal 
painted in gra11it; these are only plaster models that are 
can be implemented in the future in a more sustainable way. 


 

( 11 ) 

The figure on the left represents the Law in the cor- 
13 feet in proportion, and it is also a very good size. 
from Roland. 


The one on the right is of the same proportion; it represents 
the Force, under the emblem of Hercules: this figure is of 

Boichot. 

This part of the porch is covered by a large 
crib vault, 58 feet 6 inches in diameter. The 
compartment of this vault is formed by double arches. 
...with cartels and double shifts, which re.... 
layers.

ut at the top of the columns. 

In the flanks are pierced two gradated spectacles, 
forming t.�-ibunes, with balustrades. These stands are 
intended to place music on ceremonial days. 

The two parts of the porch at the ends of the porch form the 
perishable in front of two side doors that have been 
bites. The bottom ninr is decorated, from the top, with an 
bas-relief of the same size as those in each of the 
the side of the main door, and at the bottom, of a group of 
of figures placed on a pedestal of the same shape as ceuK 
<Jlti wears the figures in the middle. In the small porch at 
On the right, the bas-relief represents Patriotic Dedication. 
cc It depicts a warrior dying for the defense of the 
"eRepublic. The Genie of Glory and the Genie of Force
"they support expiring. Sn failing hand deposits on the altar of the Fatherland the sword he used for it; and it is



"His last re...ards are still for the Fatherland, who, advancing towards him, presents him with the crown of the -e
"civic emartyr. "This bas-relief is by Clzaudet; it replaces... 
celni of citizenJ. Boizot, in which he had represented 
S. Paul preaching in the areopagus.e

B:a 
 

.. 12 ) 

In the elongated frame, which is an-deMous, one reads aett� 
‘pigraph : It is sweet, it is gwrieux to die for,... 
...the Fatherland. 

The group below is from Masson. It has re... 
...presumed a warrior dying in the I'ras do... 
the fatherland. 

The bas-relief that decorates the bottom of the small porch on the left, 
is about! 'Public Instruction. "The Fatherland presents it 
È 
to fathers and mothers of girls. Young boys and girls
"Young girls go to meet her, and I give birth to her.
"el'embrassentent comme hmr m�re. Le Sueur, author of cee
"ebas-relil'f, a Toulu faire eutendre que l'ius1rduction (hl 
"ebas age is cdle who is the most important". This bas-e1-elicf replaces the one of Eloudon, in the(1uel one sees

S. 
Pierre receiving the keys from J. C.e.
Here is the clpigen_plin q,i- oot in the cnJro nn - below :e

Instruction is everyone's need; society must provide it. 
It is also open to all its members. 

The grumble that is below, made by Cliaudl't, is repressed. 
Philosophy teaching a young man, and 
showing him the way to glory and virtue. 

The ceilings of these little porches are square; it is


closed by ks architraves of the columns, and supported by 

a JJorned arch with large ornamental leaves. 

The pavement of this porch must be made of granite from the Vosges. 
of Lorrnine; it will be composed of large parlies of tiles 
of two colours, laid out on a chessboard and framed. 
by double flowerbeds. Part of the tiles 
<The test in 1s for this purpose is ready to be installed. 

The total length of the porch, taken from the outside faces 

<the folds of the columns at both ends, and is of

. 


 

t 13 .. 

lj!l feet, and its width, from the outer face of the 
plinths of the columns cln dev..nt to the back wall, 
is 41 feet. 

This porcl1e is reached through a huge porch, composed of 
of eleven steps that go around it. To give 
an idea of his greatness, suffice it to say that the walk 
from the top forms a circumference of 278 feet 4 inches. 

T E M P L E I N T E R R I A L I N T E R R R I E U R O F T H E M P L E. 

Entrance nave. 

THIS nave is composed of two parts: the first, 
forming a kind of inner vestibule, is of the genus 
say that the four naves that meet together enter the dome; 
she prays at the disposition, in arcades of almost 
all the modern churches built before the project of 
Soufflot. It seems that he wanted to parallel these 
two genres so different from each other. 

Under each of these arches, we have temporarily placed.., 
a colossal figure standing on a large pedestal. Glued in 
the arcade on the left, made by Lorta, represents Liberty. 
with his attriLuts. 

The figure under the arcade on the right is by Lucas; it represents 
! 'Equality. Those <they figures, who are sitting, are 
plaster models. The stone or marble t:xecution 
of these muddles, must be plal!Že at both ends. 
of the porch, above the columns that form the back of the building. 


AL1 above these arches, two,'i: tribeoPs, 
and an auire over the inner side that links to. 
porch. An organ must be placed on the porch. The 


( 14 ) 

your first part of the nave is an oval cap; 
supported by four pendentives, in which Bovetavoit... 
carved concerts of angels avt:c mottos from the 
palms. In place of these bas-reliefs, we have substituted 
four. other subjects, which, under the different emblems of 
four winged animals, represent the apotheosis of Philosophy, 
of Virtue, Science and Engineering. 

The nave then, which extends to the sixth minute, P.St. Korea. 
of twelve isolated columns, forming peristiles along the 
walls, and fourteen engaged columns which repeat them. 
; 
all these columns are fluted and spaced 14 feet apart 
from middle to middle. Their window is 3 feet 6 inches long. 
, 
in such a way that the intercolumnization they form is 
<the three diameters, that is, the kind of ones that 
Vitruvian calls diastile. 

The height of the columns is 37 feet 8 inches, 
including base and top, which makes 10 diameters and.sproportion much slimmer than the one we have,
to give the columns of this order, which usually have 
ten diameters; Vitruvius does not even give them 
than nine diameters and a sixth. 

The 1m1ablement which crowns these columns on the side of the 

nave, and which extends all around the for111ant part of the nave. 

vestibule, has only the fifth part of the high part of the 

Column. - That's about half the proportion we can get him. 

in several of the ancient edilices of Rome, the beginning of the


blement is almost a quarter. To form the parts of the


table, the rule Soufjwt followed was to divide 

his height in five parts, of which he gave two for 


the cornice, one and a half for the frieze, and as many for the 

the architrave. All the mouldings of this entablature are 


 

( 15 ) 
carved with ornamentation; the underside of the drip tray is decorated with 
ncanthus leaves and canals. The frieze is enriched with 
festoons formed by cut foliage and scrolls 
in ornamental leaves. 
The proportions of the great order of the porch, as well as of the 
orders that decorate the interior and the())(dLt dome , 
are the same as the ones we just retailrr, 
both for the columns and the entablature. 
The recessed ceilings of the peristilts that reign along 
of the walls, are all square and formed by the architraves 
columns; their compartments offer alternatively 
a round frame and a Jozaoge. We deleted 
all the sculptures with ornate environments, and which 
The building's design is similar to the first destination of this building. 
Above the entablature that reigns around the part of the 
in the middle, is an acroterion whose top,rnr is 6 feet. 
and Jerui, forming a balustrade at the right of each side wall. 
Among the isolated columns that decorate some of the nave, there are 
notes four placed in front of the others, and supporting 
the protruding corners of the stands above. These 
The salient bets are joined together by four circulars, 
reufermaut a square space, duos which is inscribed 
a voltte eo cap, supported by four pendants that 
...and the order with the circulairs. Duns les parties 
of the latter, are practised from the lower moons. 
forming the oL1ve1-tLU'e Jes tribunes. 
Each pendant is decorated with a bas-relief. Soufflot,
to give pins :;1ux. sculptures dout it vottloit 
decorate the CJUatre nefs 9ni ell\nf'Ill le �™rne, ks avoit 
consecrated ch,1cuuc to w1 ol,jt:t pal'LicuJier. He has seen destined the( 15 ) 
carved with ornamentation; the underside of the drip tray is decorated with 
ncanthus leaves and canals. The frieze is enriched with 
festoons formed by cut foliage and scrolls 
in ornamental leaves. 
The proportions of the great order of the porch, as well as of the 
orders that decorate the interior and the())(dLt dome , 
are the same as the ones we just retailrr, 
both for the columns and the entablature. 
The recessed ceilings of the peristilts that reign along 
of the walls, are all square and formed by the architraves 
columns; their compartments offer alternatively 
a round frame and a Jozaoge. We deleted 
all the sculptures with ornate environments, and which 
The building's design is similar to the first destination of this building. 
Above the entablature that reigns around the part of the 
in the middle, is an acroterion whose top,rnr is 6 feet.
and Jerui, forming a balustrade at the right of each of the interlocking parts. 
Among the isolated columns that decorate some of the nave, there are 
notes four placed in front of the others, and supporting 
the protruding corners of the stands above. These 
The salient bets are joined together by four circulars, 
reufermaut a square space, duos which is inscribed 
a voltte eo cap, supported by four pendants that 
...and the order with the circulairs. Duns les parties 
of the latter, are practised from the lower moons. 
forming the oL1ve1-tLU'e Jes tribunes. 
Each pendant is decorated with a bas-relief. Soufflot,
to give pins :;1ux. sculptures dout it vottloit 
decorate the CJUatre nefs 9ni ell\nf'Ill le �™rne, ks avoit 
consecrated ch,1cuuc to w1 ol,jt:t pal'LicuJier. He has seen destined the
 

( 16 ) 

born{ of entry 1t f'au aucien testament; consequently, the.fignres represented in the four pendants , are 
And of 11:oise, Aaron, Joshua, and David, which were put to death: 
Cut by Julian, Dupre and Bovet. 

In the oval frames of the ceilings of the spectacles, they are 
saw bas-reliefs whose subjects were taken from the life of the 
of these Patriarchs. All these bas-reliefs having been removed,' 
the citizen Quatremere, who is in charge, as a corn... 
the missal of the department of Paris, the suppressions and the 
embellishments to be made da11s this temple, adopts the idea of 
dedicate each nave to a particular object. That of the 
entrance nave pTesents the emblems of the. Philosophy; thus 
the subject of the first pendant on the right as you enter, is 
the story. cc Stouj, its author, represented it as the 
)> figure of a quiet woman in the middle of the 

È 
f.oudre ,-Žo,:-i'Vacnt, our,Hdle:; dn Ten..pe, les catastrophese>) et les rŽvolutions des empires. This is what we read about a 
"Stable that Time presents to her, and better yet, bitter, debris of sceptres and crowns that the Muse dee,,, History tramples on. Èe

In the pendant on the left, the subject is Science po


cc It is composed of two figures, the first of which is the 

)> Force, and the lair Wisdom, which holds the rudder 

)> and the beam of the Republic.)> This work is by Auger..: 

The pendant opposite and on the same side, represents the 

Legislation, by Dupasquier. cc It's the science of lohc 

È 
inspired by the effigy of Lycurgue, who wrote his code in the summer.

)> presents it to the Republic, of which one hive is the em-. 

"ebl�me. ne

The last one on the right, on the side of the dome, is about cc lae

)> Moral, represented by a naked woman instructing a young 

"man,. 
'� 17 ) 
"man, and showing him this sentence which is the b‰se dee
"-any social order: As you treat your fellow man. "eThis bas-relief is from Beauval/et.
The skullcap, supported by pendants, is decorated with 
five rows of square caissons, decorated with rosettes. These caissons 
end at a circular frame, in which we have left 
the tables of the Law of Moses, engraved in characters 
Hebrew. 
Nefseptcntrionnale,,,,i-i.e., t-,i-i.e., left as you enter.., 
the key layout of this nave is tell... what the... 
three more, based on Soufflot's first idea. The background 
is terminated by a peristile similar to. them that reign 
along the lateral deniers. At the end of these, 
are exit doors; but as the floor is very much in the way 
higher than that of the street, we will be obliged to place at 
the outside of the porches, which are not yet in shape. 
determined. 
Between each of these doors and the peristile at the bottom, one can 
used stairs to communicate to the stands... 
and the galleries cut into the thickness of the entablature. 
The shape of the vaults, the arrangement and decoration of 
the architecture, are perfectly similar to that which comes from the 
...to be detailed on the occasion of the second half of the n.f... 
of entry. Only, because of the peristile at the bottom, the 
number of isolated columns ost d� quatone, and that of the 
columns of eighteen; not including those of the 
which are attached to the pillars of the dome; moreover, the columns 
are not fluted like those in the entrance nave. 
The author of this temple intended this nave to receive 
C 
'� 17 ) 
"man, and showing him this sentence which is the b‰se dee
"-any social order: As you treat your fellow man. "eThis bas-relief is from Beauval/et.
The skullcap, supported by pendants, is decorated with 
five rows of square caissons, decorated with rosettes. These caissons 
end at a circular frame, in which we have left 
the tables of the Law of Moses, engraved in characters 
Hebrew. 
Nefseptcntrionnale,,,,i-i.e., t-,i-i.e., left as you enter.., 
the key layout of this nave is tell... what the... 
three more, based on Soufflot's first idea. The background 
is terminated by a peristile similar to. them that reign 
along the lateral deniers. At the end of these, 
are exit doors; but as the floor is very much in the way 
higher than that of the street, we will be obliged to place at 
the outside of the porches, which are not yet in shape. 
determined. 
Between each of these doors and the peristile at the bottom, one can 
used stairs to communicate to the stands... 
and the galleries cut into the thickness of the entablature. 
The shape of the vaults, the arrangement and decoration of 
the architecture, are perfectly similar to that which comes from the 
...to be detailed on the occasion of the second half of the n.f... 
of entry. Only, because of the peristile at the bottom, the 
number of isolated columns ost d� quatone, and that of the 
columns of eighteen; not including those of the 
which are attached to the pillars of the dome; moreover, the columns 
are not fluted like those in the entrance nave. 
The author of this temple intended this nave to receive 
C 
 

t 18 ) 

the emblems of the Greek church; that is why it was close to the 
placed in the pendants the figures of the four most famous 
Doctor of this church, S. Athanasius, S. Bazile, S. Jean 
Chrysostomos and St. Gregory of Nazianzen. The artists 
...and the two others, Julien and Dejoux ,... were executed. 
c1uede de celle des petits bas reliefs dans les ovales des lunettes, 
which represent different features of the lives of these Doctors... 
In the middle of the skullcap, we see carved 
Constantine's Labarum. 

All these sct�ptures have been replaced by subjects 
analogous to the sciences, to which this nave has been dedicated. 

In the pendant on the right as you enter the dome, 
Baccari personified Physics under the emblem of cc la 
)> Science, represented by the figure of a drunk woman
È 
va.nt the veil that hides Nature. "e

The subject of the Pendant on the left, executed by Lucas, 
cc is Agriculture with its agricultural instruments, and sese
"eproductions, q1where are the real dcliessc of the States. Lae

"ePatrie offers him the crown remunerated for the workse
"eutiles. "e

In the pendant at the bottom right, cc Suzanne a per,
... sounded Geometry under the figure of two women, 
>) one of which, CJUë is the Theory, he recognizes himself the lamp, 
"esymbol of Study. She rides and drives in her operas.., 
Another figure, which is the Practical Geometry, is also available.
"Busy tracing the new division of lae on the globe
"eFance en clŽpartemens. Èe

In the last pendant ..ituŽ to left-P., the subject is 'Astronomy. cc Long time before the new calen>) 
drier fttt dŽcrŽtŽ_, the pattern was drawn in Pan
- "theon in the bas-relief of Delaitre. This artist was featured in it

-ác 19 ) 


"s! 'Astronomy showing the Chronology this new age...
"sde ln rŽpublic1ue Fran�aise written on a cippe. >) 

Nefmeridonal, or to the right as you enter. 

THIS nave being perfectly similar to that which 
we have just described, we will limit ourselves to saying that the sujeLs 
of sculpture which she was to be adorned with were related to 
the Latin Church; but there were only the models of fŸits. 
In the new destiny, this nave is devoted to the 
Arts. 

The bas-relief, in the first pendenLif at ga.uche in 
entering through the dome, is from Chardin. "One can see the 
"The Genius of Poetry and the Genius of Eloquence, which om
"the portrait of Homer, the first drawing of a portrait of Homer, the first drawing of a portrait of Homer, the first drawing of a portrait of Homer, the first drawing of a portrait of Homer.
È 
and of Cicero, one of the greatest oraLeurs. È 


In the pendant to ,lrnite, we have 1-shown Navigation 
and Commerce; cc one sitting on a bow of 
"s-ship and leaning on the compass; the other, under the compass.
"sfigure of Mercury, holds the decrees on the liberty of the

:s
"scommerce. Blaise is the author of this bas-relief. Ès

In the pendant at the bottom left, "the subject is weary.
"lusic and architecture, under the emblem of the two.
"...women who are easily recognized by their accessories...
"The first holds the lyre in one hand, and the other...
"the hymn to the Fatherland; the second carries a compass, and is
"leaned: on the dome of the Pantheon. Ès

In the last pendant on the right, Petitot has roprŽsenll..sla Painting and Sculpture, with their characteristic attributes. 
cc The artist makes them hold a crown that they 
"splaced on a bust, is that of Wisdom or of

C2 


 

-ác .20 
5 


"ela Vertu. The inscription engraved on the cluster explains
"the artist's idea i1101-ale, and the one that we must take
"e of these arts in their application to awards. >l 

Nave of the oriental goose bottom. 


C B TT E nave has been lengthened by an arcade like that of 

the entrance, and moreover by a large niche which occupies all the 

the extent of the middle part, II¡. 
there's moreover

of the arched part, an oval-shaped cap, supported by

...four pendants. 

The bas-reliefs of the pendentives of this nave were all 

to do, when this building was lowered to form a Pan


theon. The existing ones have been assigned to the virtues pa-: 

triotic virtues, under the sui vans emblems. 

Pendants of the round cap. 

The first one, on the right entering through the dome, has been made 
per card/bound. "It shows the Force as a war...
"erier, holding a club in one hand, and a club in the other...
"Victory figure. The Prudence is beside him,e
"equi, in his allegorical language, teaches him that sie. "strength wins victories, it's wisdom <1ui les con


"...is a reserve and can alone crown them...

)> Foucou is the author of the one on the left. We can see lae

...Boone-foi and the Brotherhood holding hands. One 

"the altar in the midst of them, indicates the holiness of the

"eleurs sermens.e

"eIn the third pendant, Masson has chosen for his

"eSttjet the Patriotic Dedication. He's a Citizen

"...that the love of the Fatherland sustains in the land...

"emoment where this one shows him the civic crown. l>e


( 21 ) 
Disinterestedness was represented in the fourth 
pendant, by Lorta, << under a feature that the history of the 
)> revolution has consecrated in its splendour. We have not forgotten 
)> <1ue of the women citizens of Paris were the first to make 
)> offerings to the Fatherland of their jewels, and that these
"and deans are the wives of artists. It was just
"that the hand of art eternalizes... this memory... It is found
"Here is recalled in the figures of two women, one of whom detaches her earrings, and the other places her necklaces, bracelets and all her jewels on the altar of the
..> the Fatherland. >) 
The pendants of the oval dome are dedicated to the love of the Fatherland: there are four emblems in it 
differences, represented by four winged moorings. "In 
One, Love makes an offering to the Fatherland; in 
"the other, he receives a crown and sings his bi'"en.,, 
f..irs. In a third one, Love corner beats for her, and she is
"she covers it with her shield. The fourth expresses lee
"pleasure to be found dying in his defense. Those stockings--> 
reliefs are from Boquet. "eCrossbows. 
"He existed along the walls of the inner peris61es, 
cross-island in each colonnade, in addition to the 
stained-glass windows on the big hangers. The eye was tired of this 
multiplicity of days, which are so frustrating that 
the effect of the architecture and sculpture was almost 
lame. Nothing was more useless than these breakthroughs... 
a building arranged to receive the day from above, 
like the great halls of the Jes thermae in Rome. These motifs 
determined citizen Quatremere to have them butchered,i 
( 21 ) 
Disinterestedness was represented in the fourth 
pendant, by Lorta, << under a feature that the history of the 
)> revolution has consecrated in its splendour. We have not forgotten 
)> <1ue of the women citizens of Paris were the first to make 
)> offerings to the Fatherland of their jewels, and that these
"and deans are the wives of artists. It was just
"that the hand of art eternalizes... this memory... It is found
"Here is recalled in the figures of two women, one of whom detaches her earrings, and the other places her necklaces, bracelets and all her jewels on the altar of the
..> the Fatherland. >) 
The pendants of the oval dome are dedicated to the love of the Fatherland: there are four emblems in it 
differences, represented by four winged moorings. "In 
One, Love makes an offering to the Fatherland; in 
"the other, he receives a crown and sings his bi'"en.,, 
f..irs. In a third one, Love corner beats for her, and she is
"she covers it with her shield. The fourth expresses lee
"pleasure to be found dying in his defense. Those stockings--> 
reliefs are from Boquet. "eCrossbows. 
"He existed along the walls of the inner peris61es, 
cross-island in each colonnade, in addition to the 
stained-glass windows on the big hangers. The eye was tired of this 
multiplicity of days, which are so frustrating that 
the effect of the architecture and sculpture was almost 
lame. Nothing was more useless than these breakthroughs... 
a building arranged to receive the day from above, 
like the great halls of the Jes thermae in Rome. These motifs 
determined citizen Quatremere to have them butchered,i 
 

( 22) 

and it is a pleasure to see that since the inside of this 
temple is illuminated by the only lunar light dL1 high, the bottoms 
peristiles are dyed to make them shine... 
the columns that are in front, as well as the entablatures. 
and ornate with which they are enriched. The building has lost nothing;, 
if there is less light it is more pleasant, and for 
to make it so, we've had the ice cream topping frosted... 
the stained glass windows. of the great ceintres; this resulted in two 
advantages: the first was to provide a mild day e,
t 
uniform, never altered by the sun's rays. This 
effect enlarges the interior and protects all bas-reliefs 
the pleasure of being well seen at all times in the 
day. 
The second is to remove the unpleasant aspect of the buttresses. 
and the eleissemens practiced in the back of the walls. 
from.college...

It also resulted in plusiow-s ttutrGi: advantage of the mouth.;: 

of the crossbreeds, the first one was I fill in the 
circular clearances in the angles dt;s 
walls qi1i meet behind the pillars of the dome, and that 
would make these places too credible for the immense weight 
that they have to support; the second was Ja deletion of a 
infinite number of frames and frames that destroyed the effect of the 
columns; and finally to provide a smooth and spacious bottom 
to the monumens and statues that these ernplacemens are 
1,usable to receive. 

The floor of the peristiles that reign in the aisles is phis 
It is five steps higher than the middle part. Le motif 
clecctte difference in level, was to highlight these peristiles 
distinguishing them from the middle naves, which should be free... 
on the days of the great ceremonies.