A true icon of ancient Rome and an architectural gem that is steeped in history.
This beautiful 2000-year-old temple in the very heart of Rome remains an emphatic symbol of the might of the Empire, and it stands out in a city which is literally jam-packed with architectural marvels.The building we see today was constructed in 126 A.D. by the renowned emperor Hadrian, but the original structure was commissioned by the general Marcus Agrippa in the first century B.C., and it is his name which adorns the entablature, reading “Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, made this building when consul for the third time”. The now plain pediment would once have been decorated by a large sculpture depicting the battle of the Titans.The remarkable portico at the front of the building is made up of a pediment supported by sixteen large granite Corinthian columns, then a rectangular vestibule leads through into the rotunda, which is topped by the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world measuring 43.3 metres in diameter, the same distance from the chequerboard marble floor to the oculus above. The natural daylight entering from this opening in the roof gives the church a unique atmosphere inside, and as the sun travels across the sky, the various masterpieces decorating the walls are illuminated with a dazzling shaft of light. You can also see the tombs of the Renaissance master Raphael and Kings of Italy Umberto I and Victor Emmanuel II.The Pantheon (meaning “All Gods” from the Ancient Greek) has been in continuous use since it was built, and from the 7th century it has served as a Catholic Church dedicated to “St. Mary and the Martyrs”, but it is more commonly known as “Santa Maria della Rotonda”.Long queues of tourists waiting to see this iconic building usually stretch across Piazza della Rotonda, but your patience will be rewarded as it really is well worth the wait.It’s best to approach the Pantheon, which is open seven days a week, on foot or by taxi as the narrow streets surrounding this most central area of Rome are unable to accommodate buses.
