We plotted a straight path from the Victor Emanuel II memorial to the Pantheon. But first we walked to a taxi stand and rode it to the wrong place. It was a translation issue as there was a Victor Emanual I and a Victor Emanual II. The driver turned off the meter when we arrived at the first place and we drove off to the second. When we arrived he only asked for the fare for the first stop but we gave him more anyway. After climbing a thousand steps up to the Victor Emanuel II memorial, we were rewarded with the noon bells ringing from multiple bell towers. It was a quick 15 minute walk over to the Pantheon where we were blown away! Built in 126 CE, this marvel is simply astounding. The dome has a diameter of 43 meters and the top of the oculus is 43 meters above the ground level, perfectly spherical. To this day, almost 2000 years after it was built it is still the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world. Its level of preservation is partly due to it's continuous use as a Catholic church since 609 CE.
This was at our taxi stand. It rang and rang but we did not know how to answer
Mirror mirror
This trolly seems to be emerging from the past
Just another towering Roman building
King Victor Emanuel II was the Italian king that the troops rallied around during the wars for the unification of Italy
All smiles because we have not yet climbed all the stairs
The first two flights of stairs
A four horse chariot up on top
A whole legion of warriors
A ship and an angel
The domes of Rome
Here is Vic himself, the mustache is 10 feet across
So much bronze
The tomb to the unknows soldier is also located here
The next set of stairs
Marble statues on this level
Off we go to the Pantheon past these dragon lights
This elephant has an obelisk on his back!
Very hard to scratch the obelisk
The Pantheon from the back
The foyer is the only part of the building not round. There are granite columns inside that are solid granite. Quarried in Egypt, they were transported down he Nile and then up the Tiber
The light shining is was magical
These are the original Roman bronze doors 25 feet tall and 15 feet wide. They still be opened and closed with minimal effort
The thickness of the dome varies from 21 feet thick as the bast to only 4 feet thick at the top
The interior had elements of the church that is had been for 1400 years
But also tombs for kings, a queen and artists
Drains in the floors
Allow water that comes in the oculus to drain
The composition of the concrete changes as the dome rises. From travertine at the base to pumice at the top, six different layers of different composition
The panels in the interior of the dome are five rings of 28 panels
The interior columns were expensive Egyptian porphyry and they were removed and replaced with granite ones
This is the tomb of King Victor Emanuel II
Many different kinds of decorative elements
The columns are impressive
There was very limited seating for the chapel area which allowed more room for tourists
One man up top, who why and what
Another tomb, this one is of Rafael the artist
His bust
More tombs
King Umberto I
An older chandelier
These arches were structural
An icon behind the altar
Big candles
Light from the 30 foot hole in the ceiling
Thanks to the Rome dust and pollen for making the beam so striking
Pouring out are streams of hungry tourists
So many tasty items, lets eat
Time for ice cream
