THE PANTHEON

The Pantheon: everybody’s temple

The Pantheon - History
The Pantheon was commissioned in 27 b.C. by the consul Marco Agrippa as an all Gods’ temple: destroyed by a fire in 80, restored under Domiziano’s empire and once again in ruins in the age of Traiano, it was accurately rebuilt under Adriano’s empire.
During Renaissance age, the Pantheon was used like a grave too: we can find inside remains of painters like Raffaello Sanzio and Annibale Carracci or Baldassare Peruzzi.
Its excellent present condition is due also to the Byzantine emperor Foca’s donation in 608 to the Pope Bonifacio IV. The Pope changed it in a Christian church, and this was a radical change for the Pantheon, which turned from a pagan temple to a place for Christian veneration.

The Pantheon - Description
Such a long duration is due to construction techniques used in age-old. Today it would be difficult to  build such a great dome with actual techniques. The addition of a little quantity of cement lets the water drain immediately, preventing the development of air balls and giving an exceptional resistance to the material.
The dome is 43 metres high and is the largest in architecture history.
Inside, it is decorated with panelled ceiling, as smaller as nearer to the central eye. The opening in the middle of the dome creates a particular light effect, which underlines the majesty and the magnitude of this monument.
The underlying floor was built in a convex shape, in order to let the rainy water flow toward gullies settled in the perimeter of the structure.  
Outside, the facade of the Pantheon is composed by 16 granite columns 14 metres high, and the main door, in bronze, dates back to the Ancient Rome age.
Inside, you can see many frescoes, the most important is Melozzo's one, near Vittorio Emanuele's grave.

The Pantheon - How to arrive
The Pantheon is in Piazza della Rotonda.
By underground, the nearest stop is Barberini (linea A) - 450 metres from Pantheon.
By bus, you could take n° 30, 40, 62, 64, 81, 87 e 492: their stop is in Largo di Torre Argentina, 400 metres from the Pantheon.
 
The Pantheon - Open time
You can visit the Pantheon on weekdays, from 9.00 am to 7.30 pm. On festival days from 9.00 am to 01.00 pm

Things to see in the surroundings
Piazza Navona , Campo de'Fiori, Fontana di Trevi , Piazza Venezia.

Accommodations in the surroundings
You could choice a hotel in the center of Rome or a bed and breakfast in the surroundings.

Restaurants in the surroundings
A walk of a few metres will lead you to Piazza Navona, where you could eat in one of its wonderful restaurants.

Pubs and entertainment in the surroundings
Pubs in Campo de' Fiori will offer you a lot of music and fun.

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