Pantheon

Nearly 2,000 years old – and still watertight

“Have I seen this somewhere before?” is the question you’ll be asking yourself, gelato in hand, when you come across the Pantheon. Especially if you’re from the US, where virtually every public building is inspired by it. It’s impressive, that’s for sure.

Agrippa was so proud of it that he signed it in 25 BCE, which you can see above the entrance: M.AGRIPPA.COS.TERTIUM.FECIT. “Marcus Agrippa, Consul for the 3rd time, built this.” Good for him.

But the really impressive work was done by Emperor Hadrian in 125 CE (the one who made that wall). Step through the entrance into the “rotunda”, the vast circular hall within.

Soft, lilac light pours into the great dome from the Roman sky. They call it the oculus, the “eye”, that perfect circle in the top of the dome which allows you to see. And perhaps to be seen by the gods.

The scale is what’s so impressive about the Pantheon. Until modern times, this was the largest dome in the world. Even more incredible is the fact that it’s not held up by anything other than the arches at its base.