Carlos Estrella

Most people look at Trajan’s Column and notice the incredible spiral carvings. But there is something even more interesting hidden inside this ancient Roman monument. Built in Rome and dedicated in AD 113, Trajan’s Column was designed to commemorate Emperor Trajan’s victories in the Dacian Wars. Its famous marble relief winds around the shaft more than 23 times, creating a continuous visual story of Roman military campaigns. But this is not just a giant sculpture. The column is actually a building. Inside its marble structure is a spiral staircase with 185 steps, allowing visitors to climb from the pedestal to the viewing platform at the top. Around 40 small windows brought natural light into this narrow staircase. The shaft itself was assembled from enormous blocks of Luna marble, carefully positioned to create a structure that has survived for nearly two thousand years. Even the original statue at the top has a story. Trajan’s bronze statue was eventually replaced by a statue of St Peter in 1588. What fascinates me most is how the Romans combined architecture, sculpture, storytelling and engineering in a single monument. They didn't simply build a column. They created a historical record in stone.

The Pantheon in Rome is one of those buildings that makes you wonder how ancient engineers achieved something so extraordinary nearly 2,000 years ago. Built during the reign of Emperor Hadrian, around AD 118–128, it features one of the largest unreinforced concrete domes ever constructed. The dome measures approximately 43.3 metres in diameter, with an open circular opening called the oculus at its centre. What fascinates me most is the way Roman engineers managed the enormous weight. They used heavier aggregates in the lower sections and lighter materials, including volcanic pumice, towards the top. The recessed square panels, known as coffers, also reduce the dome's weight. The oculus allows natural sunlight to enter and creates a constantly changing atmosphere inside the building. Even rain enters through this opening and drains through the floor. Nearly two millennia later, the Pantheon remains a remarkable example of engineering, geometry and architectural imagination. Ancient Roman engineering at its finest.