The Pantheon is an ancient temple dating back to the first century AD. It’s the best preserved Roman building in Rome, in part because it was converted into a church by a Pope in around 609AD. The standout feature of the building is the magnificent dome which contains a single portal opening. This actually lets in an amazing amount of light. In fact, we found the way the ball of light from the roof moves around the inside of the building quite hypnotic. Even today, it would be difficult to construct such a dome with the technology they had at the time safely. The Italian painter Raphael is buried here.
Inside the Pantheon there are some free information signs which give you background in English and Italian on the history of the building. For a small charge, there are also some interactive screens and an audio tour. When you visit, make sure you walk around the outside of the building. You’ll get a real feel for just how big it is and you can see all the original Roman brickwork giving you an idea of just how much work must have gone into creating it so long ago. There are a number of organsied tours you can take which call in at the Pantheon including the highly rated Ancient Rome Half Day Walking Tour. You can see details of all the tours available in Rome and get latest prices in any currency here.
The Pantheon is still a working church and as such admission is free. It is occasionally closed for services and events though. The Pantheon is open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 6.30pm and on Sunday from 9am to 1pm.
LOCATION & CONTACT
Address: The Pantheon, Piazza della Rotonda, Rome, Italy
Tel: +39 06 6830 0230
MORE ON THE PANTHEON
Hotels near the Pantheon – Great rates from Hotels.com
Ancient Rome Half Day Walking Tour – Calls in at the Pantheon
More Rome Tours – From our Tours & Activities pages
The Pantheon – Wikipedia
Rome Guide Books – Amazon.co.uk