So before I start with the tour of the pictures I will tell you just how naive I really am. No laughing now!!! It really surprised me when we walked up to the Pantheon. I could not believe how "Roman" it looked. My fellow travelers had to give me a quick history lesson. I don't know why I always thought the Roman Empire was more over near Turkey or someplace. I always thought of it as Rome, Italy...not the Roman Empire. I also must admit I had no idea until this trip how much of the Roman Empire was still left to see after 2,000 years. So to you this may not be mind blowing, but it was for me!
The Roman Pantheon is the most preserved and influential building of ancient Rome. It is a Roman temple dedicated to all the gods of pagan Rome. As the brick stamps on the side of the building reveal it was built and dedicated between A.D 118 and 125.
"M. AGRIPPA.L.F.COSTERTIUM.FECIT”
“Marcus Agrippa son of Lucius, having been consul three times made it”.
And now you are stuck seeing a lot of pictures of us standing out front. This was the first big thing we saw on the trip, I think that is why we have so many pictures in front of it.
In the plaza outside the Pantheon is a lovely fountain topped by an ancient Egyptian obelisk. The obelisk and its base were erected by Pope Clement XI.
The main altar of the church is opposite the entrance, and the original 7th-century icon of the Madonna and Child can be seen above it. The apse is decorated with a golden mosaic featuring crosses.
The Italian kings Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I as well as the famous Renaissance painter Raphael and his fiancée are buried in the Pantheon.
The bronze doors leading into the building (which are original and were once covered in gold) weigh 20 tons each. The walls of the Pantheon are 7.5m (25 ft.) thick.
John in awe.
This manger is another silly story. The Pantheon was decorated for Christmas. We had been talking about how the Pantheon had been around since Christ's time, so this manger really touched me. I took a lot of pictures of it but for the sake of Eddie's sanity I will only post one.
The Pantheon was maintained and restored by the emperors Septimus Severus (193-211) and Caracalla (211-17). During its two centuries as a functioning temple, statues of gods filled the niches. Animals were sacrificed and burned in the center; the smoke escaped through the only means of light, the oculus.
The oculus, the only source of natural light in the Pantheon, is a round opening in the center of the dome. It is 27 feet in diameter and open to the sky (the floor is gently sloped to allow for runoff of rainwater).
“Marcus Agrippa son of Lucius, having been consul three times made it”.
And now you are stuck seeing a lot of pictures of us standing out front. This was the first big thing we saw on the trip, I think that is why we have so many pictures in front of it.
In the plaza outside the Pantheon is a lovely fountain topped by an ancient Egyptian obelisk. The obelisk and its base were erected by Pope Clement XI.
The emperor Hadrian (A.D 117-138) built the Pantheon to replace Augustus’ friend and Commander Marcus Agrippa’s Pantheon of 27 B.C. which burnt to the ground in 80 A.D.
Yes, we did spend a lot of time looking at and fixing our cameras.
This is Raphael's grave.
John in awe.
This manger is another silly story. The Pantheon was decorated for Christmas. We had been talking about how the Pantheon had been around since Christ's time, so this manger really touched me. I took a lot of pictures of it but for the sake of Eddie's sanity I will only post one.
The Pantheon was maintained and restored by the emperors Septimus Severus (193-211) and Caracalla (211-17). During its two centuries as a functioning temple, statues of gods filled the niches. Animals were sacrificed and burned in the center; the smoke escaped through the only means of light, the oculus.
The oculus, the only source of natural light in the Pantheon, is a round opening in the center of the dome. It is 27 feet in diameter and open to the sky (the floor is gently sloped to allow for runoff of rainwater).
The clouds parted for a beautiful view of the moon
We ate overlooking the Pantheon a couple of nights. This is a terrible picture, but the only one I had.
Ambiance all the way!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment