Visit the Iconic Pantheon in Rome

The Pantheon is one of the best preserved buildings from ancient Rome famous for its large circular domed cella.  Since the Renaissance, there have been several important burials here, including Raphael the famous painter. Many relics and priceless pieces of art are on display to visitors.  The Pantheon receives millions of tourists every year.

An earlier temple commissioned by Marcus Agrippa sat on this site during the reign of Augustus from 27 BC to 14 AD.  Emperor Hadrian had the temple rebuild around 126 AD after the original temple burned down.  The exact date of the rebuild is unknown because Hadrian kept the inscribed date from the original temple.  In 609 the Byzantine emperor Phocas gave the building to Pope Boniface IV who converted it into a church.  Being converted to a church likely saved this building from falling into ruin like many other building from this time period.