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Pantheon, Rome

Landmark

Pantheon

Rome · Lazio

QUICK INFORMATION

CATEGORY
Landmark
COUNTRY
Italy
REGION
Rome · Lazio
DURATION
3 days

ABOUT THIS ATTRACTION

The Pantheon is the most complete survival of ancient Rome — a temple rebuilt by the emperor Hadrian around AD 126 and converted into a church in AD 609, which is why it still stands intact. Its dome, a single pour of concrete spanning 43 metres with an open eye at the centre, was the largest in the world until the modern era and remains the largest unreinforced concrete dome ever built. The oculus, nine metres across, is the building’s only source of light, and on a rainy day the water falls through it and drains through barely visible holes in the floor.

HISTORY & BACKGROUND

The story behind it

The present Pantheon is the third building on the site; the first two, built by Agrippa, burned. Hadrian’s rebuilding kept Agrippa’s original inscription on the portico — “M·AGRIPPA·L·F·COS·TERTIVM·FECIT” — which long misled scholars into dating the building to 27 BC. In AD 609 the Byzantine emperor Phocas gave the temple to Pope Boniface IV, who consecrated it as Santa Maria ad Martyres, an act that saved it from the slow demolition that claimed most of ancient Rome. The Renaissance artist Raphael is buried here, as are the first two kings of united Italy.

WHAT TO SEE

What to see here

01

The dome and oculus — stand under the centre and look up at the coffered concrete and the open eye that lights the whole interior.

02

The portico — the 16 monolithic Egyptian granite columns, each a single shaft, supporting the original pediment and Agrippa’s inscription.

03

Raphael’s tomb — marked by a marble relief of the Madonna by Lorenzetto, at the artist’s own request.

04

The royal tombs — the sarcophagi of Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I in the side chapels.

WHY IT MATTERS

Why it matters

The Pantheon is the one building in Rome where you can stand inside the ancient world rather than look at its ruins. Its dome was an engineering achievement the world did not match for more than a thousand years, and its survival — because it became a church — makes it the benchmark against which every other Roman ruin in the city is measured. For a visitor, it is the single most direct encounter with Roman architecture available anywhere.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Before you go

Access
Entry is free, but a timed-entry reservation is now required and can be made online. A small fee applies on weekends and public holidays.
Best Time
Midday on a sunny day shows the oculus beam at its most dramatic; early morning is quietest.
Context
The Pantheon sits in the heart of the historic centre, a short walk from Piazza Navona and the Trevi Fountain.

MAP & LOCATION

Pantheon

Pantheon, Rome, Lazio, Italy

41.8986, 12.4769

Open in OpenStreetMap

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THINGS TO DO

Things to do nearby

01

Walk the historic centre from the Pantheon to Piazza Navona

02

Cross the Tiber to Trastevere at dusk

03

Explore the Appian Way and the catacombs

FOOD & DRINK

Where to eat nearby

01

Roscioli — a celebrated salumeria and trattoria near Campo de’ Fiori, Roman pastas and a peerless cheese counter

02

Armando al Pantheon — classic Roman cooking a stone’s throw from the Pantheon, book ahead

03

Da Enzo al 29 — the most loved of Trastevere’s honest trattorias, no-fuss carbonara and saltimbocca

04

Pizzarium — Gabriele Bonci’s by-the-slice pizza al taglio near the Vatican, arguably Rome’s best

05

Two Sizes — thin Roman-style pizza by the slice, eaten standing, near the Spanish Steps

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HOTELS & STAYS

Where to stay nearby

01

Hotel Locarno — a Liberty-style hotel near Piazza del Popolo, with a leafy courtyard and a rooftop

02

Hotel Raphael — a boutique hotel off Piazza Navona with a rooftop terrace over the rooftops

03

The Fifteen Keys Hotel — a small design hotel in Monti, a quiet base within walking distance of the Forum

04

Generator Rome — a stylish hostel near Termini, good value for a central stay

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NEARBY DESTINATIONS

Continue the journey

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Lazio

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Campania

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History

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