Rome - December 28, 2011 - Pantheon and Around

Dome inside Pantheon

Pantheon

The Pantheon is an awe inspiring building. Two thousand years old and sporting the worlds largest unreinforced concrete dome, it never fails to impress. The inside is lit only from the oculus in the center of the ceiling.

Once dedicated to all of the gods (or at least the most important ones) it is now, and has been for 1300 years, a Catholic church. It is also the burial place of Emanuelle II, Umberto I, Rafael and Queen Margherita (yes the one the pizza was named for….mmmmmm pizza)

Piazza della Rotunda: In the center of the piazza is another obelisk. This one was taken from the Temple of Ra in Heliopolis some time during the Roman Imperial Period. The Pantheon is, well the Pantheon a magnificent building of the Imperial Roman Period.

Piazza Della Minerva: Another Obelisk? This one is also from Egypt, from Sais to be specific. It really hasn’t moved much over the years having been brought to Rome by Diocletian in the late 3rd century CE to decorate the nearby temple of Isis (which had a lot of obelisks it seems). Sometime in the mid 17th century it was placed on a rather whimsical elephant shaped base, which was carved by? Bernini of course, have you not been paying attention. I tried to get a good picture of the elephant, but it is undergoing restoration.