Next on our itinerary was the Pantheon. The Pantheon is a Roman temple built in 118 to 128AD. The name Pantheon, from Greek, means "all the gods". It is the best preserved Ancient Roman structure.
There's a fountain with an obelisk in the center of the piazza. You can barely see the dome from the front.
The inscription on the facade says: M·AGRIPPA·L·F·COS·TERTIVM·FECIT
In full - M[arcus] Agrippa L[ucii] f[ilius] co[n]s[ul] tertium fecit
Translation - Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, made [this building] when consul for the third time.
Every element of the Pantheon looks very rustic.
This is still the world's largest unsupported concrete dome. Hidden chambers within the rotunda reduce the weight of the roof. It is hard to take pictures of the dome. You can't frame it without an ultra wide angle lens. The light coming through the oculus changes the exposure.
What is fascinating about the Pantheon is that the dome is not completely sealed. The oculus in the middle of the dome allows natural light to come in and rain to fall through. But don't worry about the rainwater, a drainage system below the floor takes care of it.
The piazza outside the Pantheon was very busy in the afternoon. People gathered around the fountain and some enjoyed al fresco dining in the piazza.
Here is the view of the lively piazza from the portico of the Pantheon.
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