Pantheon

I took my first stroll past the Pantheon at night on Monday (before I did my final walk along the river) and it is truly a different place at night. The doors are closed and there isn’t a single sole in the center of the Piazza della Rotunda. The restaurants that were open weren’t very busy at all and the portico of the Pantheon is bare. It looks as abandoned as a 1900 year old building should look and it gives off an eerie aura of superiority, pride, and enchantment that only the Pantheon could roll together. During the day whether the huge dome is illuminated by sunlight or dripping with rain it is still welcoming and full of energy. In the moonlight, without anyone watching it seems mischievous and waiting to burst with energy once again. I would strongly recommend to anyone that has the pleasure of visiting Rome to take a walk to the Pantheon and see her in all her glory all by yourself, in the dark, for a truly unique experience.

Pantheon

I met an American family when I was at lunch the other day and the mother was asking me advice about what to see in Rome and I started telling her my favorite things (the Capuchin Crypt, St. Giovanni’s, etc.) I mentioned the Pantheon and she said they had already been there and her younger daughter was a little creeped out by this dead guy they saw so she tried to tell her daughter that it must be someone really important otherwise they wouldn’t be in the Pantheon so she shouldn’t be disturbed by it. I asked her who it was that they were seeing and she said she wasn’t sure but she described it to me and it didn’t take long for me to realize that she was referring to Raphael. When I told her I thought she was going to faint. She had no idea that he was in the Pantheon and she clamored on about how much she loved him and Michelangelo and how fantastic it is that he is buried there. I just had to laugh, it is really crazy to think how people don’t even realize (myself included) some of the most amazing things they’re seeing, especially when it is the things that are especially interesting to them and if nobody told them, they’d never have the experience that was right in front of their faces.

Movie at the Pantheon

The movie Angels and Demons is being filmed in Rome right now and one scene was being shot at the Pantheon as I walked by yesterday. There were crowds of people everywhere and the entire piazza was taped off with guards standing every few feet keeping people from watching or taking pictures. I didn't get to see Tom Hanks but I have a friend that got a really good picture of him early in the morning when the filming first began. I can't wait to see the movie and remember that I was there the day the scene was being shot. It was a really cool way to connect home with Rome and made me glad to be here once again.

Pantheon Tours

Every time I’ve walked near the Pantheon when it was light outside I inevitably see at least five tour groups, with the fearless leader holding some random silly flag or umbrella trying to keep the group together. This week I saw a tour group sitting on under the shade of the overhang, behind the pillars enjoying their lunch. This was really funny to see because you don’t really see people sitting on the stairs of any other church eating lunch, dare I say that some might even consider it to be inappropriate, but for some reason this particular church is different. Why is it okay to eat here and even forget for a while that this is a place of worship? I actually think that most people that haven't been the the Pantheon (and even some that have) don't know that it is a church.

Termini Station to the Pantheon

Start heading North on Via G. Giolitti, stay straight for five blocks (by blocks I mean cross streets or alleys, you'll quickly notice there aren't real blocks in Rome). You will see the Repubblica on the right, then turn left on Via Nationale. You will walk eleven blocks and you will see Mercati Traianei on your left then you will make a right. At the next block you will turn left on Via IV Novembre, follow for three blocks and the street name changes to Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, stay straight to the new road. After seven blocks turn right on an alley that will drop you off right at the Pantheon. The Pantheon is nearly 2,000 years old and one of the most famous ancient buildings still standing in the world. Inside the Pantheon you will find the crypt of Raphael along with several beautiful paintings. The dome ceiling is one of the most unique sites in Rome and the whole in the top center is the only light in the entire structure. Originally a pagan establishment, the building turned church offers Catholic services for the public every Saturday and Sunday.

Food Experiences near the Pantheon

There are so many different food experiences to be had in Rome and since I spend a lot of time around the Pantheon I've noticed that nearly every style of dining is crammed into that tiny piazza. Early this week Joe and I stopped for a quick lunch at a hole in the wall restaurant to the right of the Pantheon that just says Pizzeria next to it and we found chicken breast, pasta, fried zucchini, and our meal was about 10 Euros and we left full and satisfied. The food was exquisite, the chicken fell right off the bone and the zucchini was tender, it was possibly one of the best meals I've had. And I can't tell you how excited I was that I finally found some chicken. Later in the week, we sat at a restaurant to the left of the Pantheon and the prices were outrageous. We sat down without looking at the menu because we figured most of the places in that piazza would be similar and we had eaten at others that were moderately priced. We couldn't have been more wrong. Since we felt rude to get up and leave we ended up paying 35 Euros for small servings of pasta and bread and a glass of wine, plus a 7 Euro service fee. We were even still hungry when we left. The difference between these two dining experiences is the opposite of what one might expect. It seems logical that the more expensive meal would be better in quality and quantity and that wasn't at all true. The food places in the Piazza Rotunda remind me of the people that visit the Pantheon. There is such variety in both categories that it is almost never boring to watch.

Pantheon View

Yesterday I sat at the Pantheon, on the steps, leaned up against a pillar, and tried to take in the view. I wanted to get a different perspective because most people, including myself, stand back and look up at the Pantheon. I decided to be the Pantheon and see what her view is like. Besides all of the people running in and out of her most treasured pieces, trampling on her heart, and hardly taking enough time to appreciate her. Then they often scurry to nearest cafe or even worse McDonald's. I feel ashamed of America when I see that the Pantheon has to stare at a McDonald's every day. I mean, what an insult to her beauty! The Golden Arches are hardly deserving of paralleling the grandiose pillars and dome of the Pantheon. As if it isn't bad enough that McDonald's discretely crept it's way into a home gazing menacingly at the Pantheon, people actually rush by the 2000 year old wonder of the world in search of a burger and fries. I have to admit, I don't even eat McDonald's or any fast food at home, but the first time I started feeling really homesick, I stopped to take a few pictures of the Pantheon, and sat in McDonald's and enjoyed my extremely overpriced, undersized burger and fries. Yesterday I realized how sad it is, that McDonald's is what American's use to associate themselves with home.

Back of the Pantheon

Can you recognize what this building is? Probably not. Today I was walking around after class for a little and I walked around the Pantheon from behind. I thought this would be a fun view to share because traditionally, people only focus on the front of the building. There is a large tunnel/ alcove looking part (below) in the center and when I tried to research the purpose I can't seem to find one. There is also a broken marble pillar, completely flat on top, as if it snapped at a seem and another completely full length pillar matching those in the front of the church. I think it's interesting that in the 1800's they restored the floor but not this broken pillar in the back. There are also shops very close to the rear of the Pantheon which greatly contrasts the vast space in front of it. There is only a narrow road that passes behind and somehow I doubt these businesses see a lot of tourists.

Interesting facts about the Pantheon

Today I learned some very interesting things about the Pantheon. The base building of the Pantheon has nineteen foot thick walls to support the amazing dome that sits upon them. These huge walls definitely affect the climate inside, it is undoubtedly cooler inside the Pantheon than outside. The door also allows a nice breeze to circulate the room if there is any wind outside at all. The roof of the dome has these precise and beautiful layered squares that cover the ceiling in rows and columns (as you can see in the pictures below). I also found out today that the ceiling was carved this way not just for aesthetic reasons but because it made the dome so much lighter in weight and there was concern about the below structure cracking under all of the pressure. It was raining really hard today and while the hole in the dome is covered the rain still leaks in a little but so it was interesting to see the floor all wet in a roped off area. I have been wondering why the center was always roped off, now I know. I can't help but wonder why nobody cleaned up the puddles. This is a picture of the hole in the center of the ceiling and if you look closely you can see the designs around it.

Pantheon

After visiting the Pantheon nearly every day for the last week, I realized that this is truly one of the most tourist filled places in Rome. The Pantheon is almost always crawling with people. Outside of the Pantheon is where tourists are targeted for buying things and handed fliers for events happening such as concerts and pub tours. I had lunch with some friends this week right next to the Pantheon and the pizza was fantastic, for it being such a tourist area, the food actually wasn't too expensive and it was convenient that the server spoke a bit of English. To the right you will find pictures of us standing near the pillars just to give you an idea of the sheer size of the building. The size and precision of the pillars and the perfection of the shape makes me wonder what they used to put it together. What did ancient Roman scaffolding look like? How did they chisel out the lines in each pillar so precisely that we can't find a flaw thousands of years later? Also, the thickness and the materials that many Roman buildings are made out of, including the Pantheon, don't allow heat to enter like most buildings in America. It can be 85 degrees outside and it's still comfortable or even cool inside. Below is the first picture that I took of the Pantheon and I think it's of fairly good quality so I wanted to share it.

A First Look at the Pantheon

The Pantheon is a world renowned building mostly remembered for it's great stature and beautiful pillars. It is considered one of the best preserved of all Roman buildings and is truly marvelous to look at. The incredible thing for me about the Pantheon is that I never knew how beautiful it was on the inside. Of course in history class I learned what it looked like on the outside but the second you walk in the door the view is truly breathtaking. The detail is magnificent and it looks as if it was built last week. Here is a video of the inside of the Pantheon to give you a little taste of what is in there. Try not to mind the random people's heads and voices as I show a brief tour.