The Pantheon

The Pantheon, in Rome

The Pantheon is one of the best preserved ancient monuments in the world, the temple of all the gods of ancient Rome. The Rome audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this masterpiece of architecture, famous for its immense dome and its oculus open to the sky.

The temple of all the gods and its dome

You are facing an undisputed star of the town: the Pantheon, literally the temple of all the gods. This extraordinary building, built in its current form in the second century under the emperor Hadrian, on the bases of an earlier temple of Agrippa whose inscription still adorns the pediment, is one of the best preserved monuments of ancient Rome. Preceded by a majestic columned portico, it shelters a unique architectural feat: an immense concrete dome, long the largest of the world, pierced at its summit with an oculus, a circular opening through which the light, and sometimes the rain, penetrates the building. This perfect space, whose diameter equals the height, gives off a striking harmony. Transformed into a church in the Middle Ages, which ensured its preservation, the Pantheon shelters the tombs of kings of Italy and of the painter Raphael. A masterpiece of Roman engineering and a history-laden place, the Pantheon is discovered with admiration and respect. It is a must-see stop of the discovery of Rome.

What to see

You admire one of the best preserved monuments of ancient Rome, the temple of all the gods built in the second century under Hadrian, preceded by a majestic columned portico, with its immense concrete dome pierced with an oculus open to the sky, a space of a perfect harmony, transformed into a church and sheltering the tombs of kings of Italy and of Raphael. The Pantheon is a masterpiece of Rome. It is a must-see stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Pantheon lies in the heart of the old town of Rome, on the Piazza della Rotonda, reachable on foot. It is at once a monument and a church, which is visited with respect; access follows its own hours and conditions, which vary. It is best to check them before coming.

What is the Pantheon of Rome?

The temple of all the gods of ancient Rome, built in the second century under the emperor Hadrian and one of the best preserved monuments of Antiquity; famous for its immense concrete dome pierced with an oculus, it was transformed into a church and shelters the tombs of kings of Italy and of the painter Raphael.

Where is the Pantheon of Rome?

In the heart of the old town of Rome, on the Piazza della Rotonda, in Italy.