Pantheon

The Pantheon is the best-preserved building of ancient Rome. The original temple was built by Marcus Agrippa, whose name still appears on the portico, but the building that survives was rebuilt under the emperor Hadrian around AD 126. In 609 it was consecrated as the church of Santa Maria ad Martyres, and its continuous use as a church is a large part of the reason it has survived almost intact.

The great draw is the dome. Made of concrete and spanning about 43 metres, it remains the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world, and the only light comes from the open oculus at the top and the massive bronze doors. On rainy days you can watch the water fall through the oculus onto the marble floor, which has small drainage holes to carry it away. Stand in the centre and look up at the coffers, then walk around the edge of the rotunda.

Around the walls are chapels and tombs, including that of the painter Raphael, who asked to be buried here, and those of Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I, the first kings of united Italy. Because the Pantheon is still a church, services take place here and visitors are asked to behave quietly and dress respectfully.

The Pantheon opens every day from 9:00 to 19:00, with last entry at 18:30. A ticket is required to enter, and booking online saves queuing in Piazza della Rotonda; entry is free on the first Sunday of each month. Audio tours, a printed guide and guided tours are available, and there is an official app. A visit takes around 30 to 45 minutes, so it fits easily into a day of walking around the historic centre.

It suits everyone, including families, as the visit is short and the building makes an immediate impression. Visit soon after opening for the quietest experience, or at the end of the afternoon. There is no metro station nearby; the closest stops are buses on Corso del Rinascimento and Largo di Torre Argentina, a five-minute walk away. Piazza Navona, the church of San Luigi dei Francesi with its Caravaggio paintings, and the historic coffee bars Tazza d'Oro and Sant'Eustachio are all within a few minutes on foot.