Hadrian's domed temple, a church since 609, in Piazza della Rotonda
Walk out of the narrow lanes of the Centro Storico into Piazza della Rotonda and the Pantheon's columned portico suddenly fills your view, its ancient inscription to Agrippa still crisp above the entrance. It is one of the best-preserved buildings of ancient Rome, and it has never stopped being used.
Step through the bronze doors and the space opens into a single perfect circle under a coffered dome, lit only by the round opening at its summit. Shafts of sunlight move slowly across the walls through the day, and when it rains, water falls straight through to drains in the marble floor. The building is both a monument managed by the Italian state and a working church, the Basilica of Santa Maria ad Martyres, and it holds the tombs of the painter Raphael and of Italy's first kings.
The first temple on the site was built between 27 and 25 BC by Marcus Agrippa, son-in-law of Augustus. The building standing today is a reconstruction from the reign of Hadrian, between about 118 and 125 AD, which kept Agrippa's name on the portico. Its dome has a diameter of 43.30 metres, equal to its interior height, and the Ministry of Culture describes it as the largest unreinforced dome ever built; the walls supporting it are more than six metres thick.
In 609 the temple was given to the Church and consecrated as Saint Mary and the Martyrs, which explains its survival when so many ancient buildings were dismantled. In the 17th century Pope Urban VIII had bronze from the portico's roof removed, most of it for cannon. The Renaissance artist Raphael was buried here, as were Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I, the first two kings of united Italy.
For Romans the Pantheon is simply 'la Rotonda', a familiar meeting point in the heart of the old city. It remains a consecrated basilica, used for Masses and important religious celebrations, and the square in front is a lively stage of cafes, street performers and passers-by from morning until late at night.
Visit early in the morning for a calmer interior, then come back to the piazza in the evening when the portico is floodlit and street life takes over. Inside, stand in the centre of the floor and follow the light from the oculus across the coffers; on bright days the beam traces a slow arc that makes the building's geometry easy to understand.
If you would like to experience the Pantheon as a church, attend the Saturday evening or Sunday morning Mass, when entry is free for worshippers. Afterwards, wander the surrounding lanes towards Piazza Navona and Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza, which together make one of the most rewarding short walks in central Rome.
Any season works because the visit is mostly indoors, but spring and autumn make it easiest to enjoy the piazza and the surrounding streets on foot. Summer brings long queues in the midday heat; in August the monument also opens in the evening on most days. Rainy days are a special treat, when you can watch rain falling through the oculus. Note that sales stop an hour before religious services and that the building is closed on 25 December and 1 January.
Checked against the sources on 27 October 2026. Opening times and fees can change — confirm before you go.
General guidance from our specialists, not official information.
The Pantheon sits in the middle of the Centro Storico: Piazza Navona is about five minutes' walk west, the Trevi Fountain around ten minutes east, and the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva with its elephant obelisk is just behind the rotunda. Several bus routes run along nearby Corso Vittorio Emanuele II and Via del Corso; the nearest metro stations, Spagna and Barberini, are a longer walk.
Italy · 2 nights4★ HotelItaly · 7 nights4★ HotelItaly · 7 nights4★ HotelThis guide was researched from the sources below and reviewed by our team on 27 October 2026. Facts under “Verified information” link to the page they were checked on; travel tips are general guidance. Photos are credited on each image. The ambient recording’s author and licence are shown in the sound player.
