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Walled Garden & Stableyard | Stourhead House | The garden | Gothic Cottage | Grotto | Pantheon & Temple of Apollo | Temple of Flora | Stourton village | St Peter's Church

Pantheon & Temple of Apollo

Few buildings exceed the magnificence, taste and beauty of this temple.
[Horace Walpole]

"The Pantheon is a truly grand structure.
The garden's largest and most important building, it draws the eye from all corners of the garden.
Its interior is equally magnificent, with marble statues and reliefs set around the main circular hall.

"It was designed by architect Henry Flitcroft, and built in 1753-4,
and no doubt provided an impressive setting for Henry Hoare II's picnics and summer parties.

"The Pantheon was originally called the Temple of Hercules, as its interior is dominated by the alluring marble statue of Hercules by Rysbrack.
The statue's biceps were modelled on 'the father of English boxing', the successful contemporary prize-fighter, Jack Broughton.
Hercules was a great moral hero, and the famous painting of him at the crossroads between vice and virtue
by Poussin hangs in the picture gallery of Stourhead House."

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"Standing high upon a hill at the western end of the garden
is the Temple of Apollo. It was built in 1765 by Flitcroft, inspired by the circular temple of Baalbec in Syria.
It is dedicated to Apollo, the sun god who dwelt on Mount Parnassus and without whom no garden can flourish.

"The temple's beauty is captured in short glimpses through the trees as you enter the Shades from the House Lawn,
and in many striking vistas from around the garden. It can be reached either by the twisting rock arch bridge built from Italian volcanic lava,
or through the dark, concealed rockwork passageway near the Palladian bridge. Upon arrival, you turn
to meet the splendid garden panorama below, described by Horace Walpole as
'one of the most picturesque scenes in the world'."
From the Shades (I)
From the Shades (I)		 From the Shades (II)
From the Shades (II)		 From the Shades (III)
From the Shades (III)
Classic view
Classic view		 Reflecting
Reflecting		 We three ducks...29 April 2006 (225)
We three ducks...
29 April 2006 (225)
Pantheon and Grotto
Pantheon and Grotto		 More ducks
More ducks		 Pantheon, Gothic Cottage and Grotto
Pantheon, Gothic Cottage and Grotto
Pantheon and Gothic Cottage
Pantheon and Gothic Cottage		 From the Temple of Flora
From the Temple of Flora		 Palladian Bridge
Palladian Bridge
From the Rock Arch
From the Rock Arch		 Pantheon detail
Pantheon detail		 Found my niche
Found my niche
Pillared
Pillared		 From the Gothic Cottage
From the Gothic Cottage		 Glimpsed
Glimpsed

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