Pantheon of Sevillano

Guadalajara, Spain

The Pantheon of the Countess of Vega del Pozo is a monument built between 1882 and 1916 in the Spanish city of Guadalajara by the Duchess of Sevillano. The duchess commissioned famous Burgos architect Ricardo Velázquez Bosco to build the Pantheon and it is one of the city’s main landmarks. It was built in honor of her family and relatives, however when she was laid to rest she had no descendants.

The building has a Greek cross plan and is divided into two floors, the upper one contains a false crypt and the lower floor contains the actual crypt which also stands above ground. The exterior of the building houses a dome on its roof that is covered with metallic scales made by ceramist Daniel Zuloaga, a member of an illustrious family of Spanish artists which included Ignacio Zuloaga.

The Pantheon is inspired by elements of eastern and western art that give it a Byzantine feel, and it stands out as one of the best architectural creations of the late 19th century.