Pantheon comprises of two Greek words, pan and teon. ‘Pan’ means everything and ‘teon’ means divine. Pantheon is one of the most visited and admired sites in Rome. People visiting this monument are left with an overwhelming impressionable experience. Pantheon is an incredibly large building with magnificent interiors and exterior walls. It has been kept in good condition by kings, popes, and now the government of Italy.

Piece of Art in History

Pantheon means temple of all the Gods. Pantheon, the monument was constructed as a temple dedicated to all the Gods of Ancient Rome. It was constructed around 2000 years ago and is still considered as one of the best-preserved building of the Roman period, till date.

It was the second dome in the entire world to have been built until 1436, when Florence Cathedral was constructed. The dome of the Pantheon has a diameter of about 43 meters. The Pantheon is also the final resting place of many kings and noblemen. Pantheon is presently a Christian Church and masses are celebrated in the church.

Origin of Pantheon

The first and original Pantheon was constructed in 27 to 25 BC under the reign of Emperor Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa. It got destroyed in 80 AD due to a huge fire. The date stamps of the bricks on the current Pantheon indicate that it was reconstructed in 125 AD under the reign of Emperor Hadrian. Although Pantheon was totally reconstructed, an inscription from the old Pantheon was added to the façade of the new Pantheon. The inscription states, “Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, consul for the third time, built this”. Septimius Severus and Caracalla lately repaired the monument.

Classic Roman Temple

Michelangelo termed Pantheon, ‘angelic and a not human design’. Besides being divinely protected, Pantheon’s built with strong concrete ofpozzolona cement. It is a great masterpiece of architectural craftsmanship and art. Tourists from all over the world visit this classical Roman Temple.

Visiting the Site

Pantheon, one of the Rome’s top tourist attraction, is located near Piazza della Rotonda. There are various ways of commuting in Rome. These include bus, trams, shuttles, or trains. Rental bikes and cabs are also available for tourist convenience. The metro station, the Largo Argentina bus and tram stops are located near the site. Pantheon, one of the masterpieces of Roman period, has no entry fee for its visitors. One can also opt for a professional guide for a detailed view of the site. Pantheon is closed on 1st May, New Years day, and Christmas day. Many guides and local people will suggest that you visit the temple in the morning when sun is behind it.

Best Season to Visit

Tourist season starts around Easter and continues till October. The best season to visit Pantheon is spring or autumn basking in sunny skies and a mild temperature. Sometimes, late autumn can be rainy. July and August are unpleasantly hot. The best time to visit Pantheon is in the morning and then spending the afternoon shopping and dinning at the Piazza della Rotonda, a square that has a variety of shops, bars and restaurants.
Prices of food and goods near the Pantheon are quite high as compared to other places in the city. For the convenience of the handicapped, many transport facilities are available. The newer trams and trains are made accessible to people with disabilities.

It is truly a mesmerizing experience for tourists to visit Pantheon to feel the history and legacy of the building. Roman structures have always been mysterious and rich in culture. The innate history of this place attracts many tourists from different parts of the world.

There is one place in Rome whose history predates that of the city itself. It is famous for its architecture, historical significance and sightseeing attractions.

The Palatine Hill – Place in History

Palatine Hill is the centermost of the famous Seven Hills of Rome. Technically speaking, the Palatine Hill is an archeological excavation site containing the ruins of several large villas that belonged to wealthy Roman families. Archaeological evidence suggests traces of inhabitation from the tenth century onwards. It is believed that this hill is the birth place of the glorious Roman Empire. Evidence argues that the twins Romulus and Remus were found in the Lupercal Cave by their four-legged shepherd mother, who raised them. Later, Romulus decided to build the city.

During the Republican era, Palatine Hill became the fashionable place to live. The hill offers splendid views. It rises to an incredible height of 230 feet towering the city. Great warriors, emperors and nobles built their palaces there. It is said that Roman noblemen such as Augustus, Cicero, and Marc Antony resided on the hill. During the Middle Ages, churches and convents were built on Palatine Hill. Later, the hill became home to Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, who also created an ornate botanical garden on top of the ruins.

Major Attractions

Palatine Hill houses ruins of ancient palaces and other buildings. The southern end of the hill contains the remains of the palace of the Roman emperor, Septimius Severus between 193 and 211AD. Close to the Palace lie the huge bath ruins of the emperor. The north section of the palace of Septimius Severus houses the stadium. This stadium was built together with the adjacent palace of Domitian. Domitian’s palace forms the largest, oldest and most domineering tourist attraction in the whole of the Palatine hill site. The palace was built in 81AD — between two crests after the tall crest called the Palatium was leveled and the ground used to level the hilltop. The palace consisted of two wings, a private one called the Domus Augustana and the public Domus Flavia. The house of Augustus, the Temple of Apollo and the temple of Cybele also form major hill attractions. The Farnese Garden was built by Cardinal Allessandro Farnese in 1550 by filling in the ruins of the palace of Tiberuis. It is the first-ever botanical garden of Rome.

Location of the hill

The Palatine hill is conveniently located between two of the city’s largest and most impressive tourist attractions of the Roman Forum and the Colessum. You can take advantage of this location site by purchasing a joint travel and fee ticket for the Colessum and the Palatine Hill at 11 euro. There is also another option. If you a leisurely tourist interested in art and architecture, you can now buy the 22 euro weekly pass for the Colessum and the Palatine Hill.  You get to spend the entire weekend exploring and traversing the two sites. It is better to navigate and see the various vivid attractions on foot using an audio guide.

Visiting the site

Though the hill is open to visitors at all times, tourists generally prefer the cool months of
autumn. It serves a tourist well to stroll on foot enjoying the various sights. Getting there by bus and then walking about is cheaper. It also provides you with the opportunity to savor the hustle and bustle of modern Rome. The hill has been fitted with convenient facilities for disabled elderly tourists allowing them to enjoy the uphill tour at a relaxed pace.

Eating at the Palatine Hill

Roadside eating is recommended. Closeted between the forum and the Colessum, the hill offers solace to many eateries spec aliasing in Italian cuisine. This can either be vegetarian or non-vegetarian. Prices are cheap and you get to embrace the ambience of historic Rome on a cool day. The hill’s ancient stadium now hosts many modern cultural events of plays and book review meetings.

For those history buffs out there this is for you. I consider myself a bit of an armchair archeologist and would love to spend some quality time with these ancient sites. You could say that the western world was formed in these sites as many famous events or people came from each and every one. History is dripping with each of these sites and I am sure that if you are at all interested in ancient history you will not be bored with what these top 10 ancient ruins in Rome have to offer.

The Coliseum in Rome is perhaps one of the best known sites in all of the world. I dare you to show a picture of this site in almost every country and someone is bound to know what is was and some of the legends of this ancient ruin. I have been to this site myself and have to tell you that it is well worth the visit if you go inside and take the tour.

Second to the Coliseum in Rome is the Pantheon or the temple of the Gods. The root of the ancient religion that founded modern western society this site contains so many relics it will take your breath away. It is now a converted church and one of the best preserved sites from the ancient time period.

The Roman Forum was the center of the ancient city of Rome. Here this place contained temples, markets, basilicas, and arches. One of the benefits of visiting this site is that the admission is free so be sure to take your time walking around and exploring what was once Rome in its earliest days.

Piazza Navona was originally built as a stadium for ancient athletic contests. It now contains some of the best fountains and cafes you will find in the city.

If you want to see where the ancient Roman emperors ruled then be sure to check out Palatine Hill. The Domus Flavia and Domus Augustana were built as the home to the emperors and served them for over 300 years. Remarkably these structures still stand today. With admission to this ancient site  you can also view the Palatine Museum as well so I guess you get a better deal if you visit this site.

Back in ancient Rome taking a bath was a social event and this took place at the Baths of Caracalla. This huge complex could hold up to 1600 Roman bathers believe it or not! This was also a place to buy food and drink and get a workout as well as this building contained a gym as well.

The world’s oldest shopping market or Trajan’s market is definitely worth checking out as well. Built over several floors this building contained marble floors and an extensive library as well.

If you wish to view ancient catacombs and explore how the people of Rome are buried then be sure to check out Via Appia Antica and Catacombs. Via Appla was the ancient road that lead to Rome and was started in 312 B.C.E. and on this road you will find many tombstones of ancient Roman Christians.

Finally the ancient port of Ostia Antica should also be on your list. Without this port of commerce Rome could have never survived as Rome existed on the surrounding areas in order to get enough goods to supply the city. This is a truly huge complex and in order to get the most out of y our trip be sure to plan for an extensive stay, perhaps a half day would be recommended.

These ancient sites represent the foundation of the city and of the culture of Rome. Without these sites many of the ancient history of Rome could not have occurred. You cannot consider yourself a history buff until you have visited all of these sites personally.