Hi friends, welcome back to my Italy series! After visiting the Borghese Gallery, Jon and I had some time to kill before our next excursion so we took a scenic route back. We started by walking down all 138 of the beautiful Spanish Steps. Sadly we had just missed all the flowers that adorn the steps in the spring. We had our pictures taken here two days later and the steps were pretty empty at 8am. Make sure you don’t try to sit on the steps because it’s forbidden and the rule was being enforced.
At the bottom of the steps is the Sinking Boat Fountain built by Bernini’s dad Pietro. The water is from the same aqueduct as the Trevi Fountain, but the pressure is weak here, so he designed a modest fountain.
No trip to Rome would be complete without a stop at the Trevi Fountain. This fountain was built by Nicola Salvi in 1762 to celebrate the reopening of the ancient aqueduct that feeds into the fountain. The name Trevi comes from the three ancient roads that converged here. Water rushes out of 24 spouts of and the middle figure is called “Ocean” and symbolizes every form of water. We went around 12pm and as we predicted, it was pretty chaotic.
We also went at 7am for our pictures and it was still relatively busy but luckily our photographer knows how to photoshop people out. I would say the crowds were like visiting Times Square in NYC. You almost want to see it as fast as you can and then get out.
Our hotel was located a few blocks from the Pantheon, so we got to see this amazing sight every day. It was originally built in 27 BC by Emperor Augustus’ son-in-law Marcus Agrippa as a temple dedicated to all gods. There were some fires that destroyed the prior temple and the current one was built by Emperor Hadrian around 120AD to look like a Greek temple. The Pantheon is the only ancient building in Rome in continuous use since its construction. We listened to a short Rick Steves audio guide while we marveled at the interior of this ancient building.
Outside there are 16 columns that reach 40 feet tall, 15 feet around, and are made from a single 60-ton piece of granite shipped from Egypt. It’s amazing to think how they were able to do this without electricity or technology, although they did have a lot of slave power. The ceiling was covered in bronze, but it was melted down and used to build the canopy over the alter at St. Peters in the 17th century.
The bronze doors are original and span 23 feet tall.
It had rained the morning we went inside, so they had the center roped off. The oculus at the top is 30 feet across, so a good amount of weather can get it. It is also the only source of light in the Pantheon. About 80% of the floor is original and there are slants and holes to let the water drain. They seemed to work because it didn’t seem wet inside.
The famous Pantheon dome is 142 feet tall and wide. The mathematical perfection is impressive and inspired the Florence cathedral, St. Peters, and the US Capitol. The dome is made of concrete (a Roman invention) that gets thinner as it rises. The base of the dome is 23 feet thick, but at the top it’s only 5 feet thick. The squares at the top aren’t only for aesthetics, they help reduce the weight of the dome without sacrificing support.
The main alter used to hold a statue of Jupiter, King of the Gods, but after the fall of Rome the Pantheon became a Christian church which saved it from destruction. The other niches were dedicated to various Roman gods.
Raphael, the famous Italian painter, requested to be buried here in his will. His coffin is to the left of the main alter and he commissioned the Madonna and Child statue above his tomb.
The Pantheon also houses the tomb of King Victor Emmanuel II, member of the House of Savoy and leader of Italy when it united in 1871. His son, Umberto I, became king after and is buried next to him alongside his wife Margherita. She is who Margherita pizza is named after, quite the legacy to leave behind. Unfortunately, the later rulers from this family supported Mussolini and abandoned Rome to the Germans when they went into exile. It wasn’t until 2003 that Savoy royals were allowed back on Italian soil.
I hope you enjoyed this tour of Rome’s most famous sites!
Posts in this series:
Florence
- Where to Stay & Eat
- Piazza Michelangelo & Ponte Vecchio
- Uffizi Gallery
- Santa Croce, Santa Maria Novella, Accademia
- Climbing the Duomo
- Duomo Museum, Bell Tower, & Baptistry
- Palazzo Vecchio & Tuscon Wine Tour
Rome
