The Pantheon

As the name suggests, the Pantheon was the Roman ‘temple of all the gods.’ It is the most extraordinary and best preserved ancient building in Rome. The first temple on the site was actually a conventional rectangular building erected by Agrippa between 27 and 25 BC. The structure which is visible nowadays was built – as well as possibly designed – by emperor Hadrianin, in 118 AD. The Pantheon has served as a Catholic church since the 7th century, after Christians argued that they’d be plagued by demons as they passed by. An architectural marvel,this iconic building consists of a massive pedimented portico screening a cylinder fused to a shallow dome, which has a central opening – the oculus, which lets light in. The portico also has three ranks of huge granite Corinthian columns.

Tip: Get inside to get a proper understanding of the sheer beauty of the building, and observe the tombs of Italian monarchs, Raphael and other artists.