Pantheon

Originally the Pantheon was a small temple dedicated to the Roman deities erected by the consul Agrippa between 27 and 25 a.C. Over time it has undergone several renovations, also due to two fires occurred in 80 and 110 AD, the temple was thus rebuilt by the emperor Hadrian in 128 AD. in the form in which we can admire it today. The Latin writing at the top above the outer columns is a tribute to Hadrian to the consul Agrippa.

The Pantheon is an extraordinary architectural work, composed of a circular hall, covered by a hemispherical dome supported by 16 Corinthian columns and 7 niches, representing the seven deities. Once in the tympanum there was a high bronze relief that depicted the battle between the giants and the Amazons. The diameter inside the dome corresponds exactly to the height of the temple, prolonging the curvature would result in a perfect sphere! When you are inside the temple you have the impression of being very small, a symbol of the distance between man and the gods and you have the impression of being surrounded by the hollow sphere of the dome.

The particularity of the Pantheon is the oculus inside, a hole placed on the top of the dome with a diameter of 9 meters, the only source of light inside the temple. The best moment to see this beam of light invading the space inside is around 12:00 in the morning. Visiting the Pantheon is a unique emotion, even in case of rain ... you can see the water that falls inside the temple and is absorbed by the 22 almost invisible holes in the floor.

In the seventh century the Pantheon was converted into a Christian basilica and inside were kept the sepulchers of famous people including Raffaello Sanzio, King Vittorio Emanuele II, King Umberto I and Regina Margherita di Savoia.

Legend has it that in this place Romulus, the founder of Rome, was grabbed by an eagle and brought to heaven among the gods. Another legend is linked to the hole in the center of the dome, it is thought that it was created by the Devil fleeing from the temple of God.

If you are visiting the Eternal City do not miss this supreme work, one of the best preserved in history!