Rome: Pantheon One Hour Small Group Guided Tour

Upon arrival at the Pantheon please make your way to the reception area inside the main entrance, where your local guide will be waiting for you. As you walk into this most exquisite of all Roman buildings, you may notice the brass doors, which are unusual because most of the brass plaques and doors that were originally included here have been stripped and melted down over the centuries and used to build structures in the Vatican. The most famous object made from the ‘borrowed’ brass is the Baroque-sculpted bronze canopy that resides over the high alter in Saint Peter’s Basilica, designed by Bernini. As we walk around we’ll talk about the building’s origin as a temple for the gods commissioned by Marcus Agrippa and its subsequent rebuilding by Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century AD. You will learn about how this miraculous structure was built and the different guises it took on over the centuries. We will discover side chapels that contain the tombs of the Kings of Italy and other famous names such as Raphael and hear some of their stories. We’ll spend time examining the remarkable dome that, unbelievably, is bigger than the dome at St Peter’s. The dome itself represents the heavenly sphere of the gods and has been studied by some of the world’s greatest architects, including Brunelleschi and Michelangelo. We will also take a peak at the Pantheon from the outside too, where you will see the original level the Pantheon was built upon. In the ancient world, the city of Rome was closer to sea level than it is now. Your tour ends where it began and hopefully you will leave with a better understanding of ancient Roman architecture and culture. Before you go, don’t forget to ask your local guide for tips on what else to see and do during your stay in Rome.