I was not able to enter the Pantheon but I stood in front of it when France was celebrating its independence day. Witnessing the crowds of Parisians standing outside of the Pantheon, it symbolized a republic. When I learned that the Pantheon was built to celebrate the heroes of the French republic, I gained a better sense of appreciation for the existence of this building. With the construction of this building, it does not come as a surprise that the Church was highly criticized during the French Revolution. The French wanted to liberate themselves from a tyrant monarchy and from a corrupt Church because for hundreds of years the Church and the nobility controlled the lives of citizens. Therefore, the French fought to escape all tyranny. I think the purpose of the Pantheon was to establish justice for all the men and women who sacrificed their lives for freedom. Living under a monarchy for many years, it was time for the French to free themselves from poverty. And not only was this institution built to honor those fallen ones, it was also built to represent the intellectual minds from the Western Civilization. The Enlightenment was a period that was majorly influenced by science. This philosophical movement exposed the minds of those intelligent people and allowed them to explore a whole new field of studies. There was no more relying on intuition or nature; it was the opportunity to use the senses to observe, touch and draw conclusions. This movement opened the doors to modernity and it introduced the world of science to philosophy. The Enlightenment also allowed for an individual to approach a scientific problem according to his methods. It was the time for the individual to rise on his own. The Pantheon does not have a novel to explain its significance, but its construction and purpose is known across the country. Standing to next to the French Citizens while they celebrated their national day, made me realize independence is not something one should take grant for. It is a day everyone who lives in a republic should embrace. |
