Rome, Pantheon, Inside

The interior of the Pantheon is absolutely beautiful. The side chapels are adorned with alternate curved and triangular pediments. The seven large niches contain the tombs of some of the kings of Italy (including Humbert I), and the tomb of Raphael, the artist and architect of St. Peter’s Basilica.

With no windows in the very thick walls, the 27 foot round hole, or oculus, in the roof of the Pantheon provides the only light source. Some references say the rain and snow evaporates before it hits the mosaic marble floor, others mention the ancient, but still working drain system that carries away excess rain water. And it does snow and hail in Rome. We remember the ground covered in white in April, one year.

One year we bought bread, meat, cheese, and a Coke in a store on Piazza del Rotonda, made sandwiches and had lunch on a bench while we studied this amazing building. Some time in the 1980s a small part of the ceiling fell, and the next time we visited Rome the Pantheon was closed for repairs. Over the years we have been locked out of many buildings that were closed for repair, but we are thankful we have been able to visit inside the Pantheon multiple times.