Rome Pantheon: Guided Tour
- Live guide in English, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
- Duration: 40mins - 3h
- Group of max.: 10 - 25 people
Gaze up at the oculus of Rome's ancient temple, an architectural wonder
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Combine Rome Pantheon with other Rome favorites. Some things are better together.
The short answer is, it depends on when you visit! It is not necessary to make a Pantheon reservation if you are planning a mid-week visit, as the Pantheon is now a church, and so entry is free on weekdays. However, during the weekend, it is necessary to make a Pantheon reservation in advance, which means you will need to book either a guided tour or an audio guide.
Due to the high volume of visitors, audio-guided Pantheon tickets and Pantheon guided tours come with an allotted time slot as standard, so if you book one of these options, your reservation is included in your tickets. It's recommended to book your audio guide or guided tour as far in advance as possible to avoid disappointment on the day.
The precise date of the Pantheon in Rome's original construction is difficult to say with precision, as the current building sits on the site of an earlier temple, which was commissioned by Marcus Agrippa during the reign of Augustus around 27 BC – 14 AD.
The Pantheon's predecessor was burned down, and the current temple was rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian around 126 AD. Formerly a pagan temple dedicated to all of the gods, the Pantheon was consecrated as a Christian church in the year 609.
Consequently, the building has been in continuous use ever since, which is the main reason why the Pantheon is one of the best-preserved architectural relics of the Roman Empire still standing today.
The Pantheon's extraordinary dome-shaped roof, is the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world to this day. But that’s not all that’s special about this ancient ceiling.
Considered one of the most beautiful coffered ceilings in the world, its patchwork pattern of depressed cubes surrounds a nine-meter hole - known as the oculus - directly in the dome’s center. The hole serves multiple functions, the first is that it helps to alleviate structural tension at the weakest part of the dome. It also fills the space with natural light and makes lovely moving shadow patterns on the squares.
No matter the time of year, this hole is never covered, so bear that in mind when you visit. Your perfect moment in the spotlight might be washed out quicker than you might think!
Since July of 2023, a ticket is mandatory to access the Pantheon. With some 2,000 years of history waiting to be discovered, a Pantheon guided tour or Pantheon audio guide is 100% recommended.
Pantheon tickets include:
Once a pantheon to the gods of ancient Rome, this stunning structure in the heart of Italy's capital has been a church since the 7th century.
Among its many spectacular features, is its perfect dome, designed and created in 120 AD, which is to this day the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world.