Rome

Agrippa’s Pantheon, the best preserved monument in Rome

In Rome we can find numerous monuments from the ancient Roman Empire but there is one of them, which without being as famous as the Colosseum, has a very special title, that of the best preserved ancient monument to see in Rome.

And it is that although it seems a lie, the Pantheon of Agrippa has almost 2,000 years of history. Among the Romans it is usually known as La Rotonda, a name that also receives the square in which it is located.

Do not miss this guided tour of the Pantheon and the Ara Pacis, another very interesting nearby place.

How to visit the Pantheon of Agrippa

Rome - Pantheon Agrippa

The temple that we can admire in Rome today is a reconstruction of the one that was originally in this place and that was built, in a rectangular shape, in the time of Agrippa, around the year 27 BC.

However, in later years it suffered various mishaps such as a fire in the year 80 that caused its destruction.

For this reason, in the year 126, Emperor Hadrian ordered the temple to be rebuilt with a quite different architecture and without any inscription indicating that it was he who did it, since this emperor was not in favor of leaving his name engraved.

The Pantheon of Agrippa is to be admired both inside and out.

From the outside, it is best to do it from the fountain that is located in Piazza della Rotonda. If it is eating an Italian ice cream like we did, then better.

From its façade we can highlight the 16 granite columns 14 meters high.

Above is the frieze where there is an inscription about Agrippa that makes believe that he was the one who built the current temple.

Rome - Pantheon Agrippa - DomeFrom the square it is difficult to make out the enormous dome of the Pantheon, a dome that is even larger than that of Saint Peter’s Basilica and measures 43 meters in diameter.

As a curiosity, say that the height of the temple is exactly the same as the diameter of the dome.

The immensity of this dome is observed when you enter and have it on you.

Of the dome, we must also highlight the hole of almost 9 meters in its center that allows sunlight to pass through, but also the rain.

You can find more information about what to see in this city and more about Rome at Hogarus.

The interior of the Pantheon of Agrippa

Rome - Pantheon Agrippa - InteriorInside the Pantheon there are also several points of interest.

The first thing that strikes you is that it is actually a Christian church and that it contains numerous tombs of Italian kings and other historical figures, the most important being the famous Renaissance painter, Raphael.

You also have to admire the paintings that are on the walls.

When leaving, we recommend going around the building completely because its outer walls also hide several architectural secrets.

What to see near the Pantheon of Agrippa

Rome - Santa Maria Sopra MinervaA few meters from the Pantheon of Agrippa we find Santa María Sopra Minerva. It is a very special church since it is the only Gothic church that we can find in Rome.

Inside we can highlight the tomb of the painter Fra Angelico, but what stands out most about the church is the elephant on the outside that supports an obelisk and was designed by Bernini.

Next to the Via del Corso and also close to the Trevi Fountain we find the Column of Marcus Aurelius, very similar to Trajan’s column and was made in the 2nd century after the death of Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

Also noteworthy is the Area Sacra, a place in the middle of the city where there are excavations of Ancient Rome. In it we can find the remains of four old temples and it must be said that Pompey’s Curia was located here, the place where Julius Caesar was assassinated. Hundreds of cats can now be seen here.

You can find more information on the official page of the Pantheon of Agrippa.

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