Sunlight streams in through the Oculus, illuminating a point on the interior.

Having had the definition of a Pantheon burned into my memory banks from my visit to Paris, I was expecting the Italian version to be somewhat similar. Wrong I was. Similar name, but very different place. The Italian Pantheon is best described by Wolverine in the original Xmen movie: “Well, it certainly is a big, round room”. And round it is. The sunlight entering moves around the interior wall throughout the day in a sun dial like action.

Looking through the Oculus to the open air above.

The centre-piece of the building is the Oculus in the roof of the dome. This and the main entrance doors are the only sources of light into the Pantheon. While I was staring up and admiring the craftsmanship, I marvelled at just how incredibly clear the glass in the Oculus was (I felt it safe to assume that perspex was not available 2,000 years ago). After all, ‘invisible glass’ had only been invented recently.

It was at this time that my audioguide spoke up and clarified that the Oculus is in fact open to atmosphere. A hole in the middle of the roof… Priceless history sitting underneath… It seems to just work. During light rain, water droplets can evaporate before they reach the ground due to the heat generated inside (the faithful would attribute this to the powers that be). During heavy rain, the floor is gently sloped to run water away to drains underneath the floor.

The Portico leading into the Rotunda.

The other notable aspect is that entry is free of charge; a relative rarity for an attraction of this stature, especially as many regard this as the top spot in Rome. Just mosey on up and walk in through those large bronze doors.

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Looking down the length of the Pantheon.

The Pantheon. Imposing on the outside, a history lesson on the inside.

As per usual, I managed to sneak in with the last group of admissions for the day which worked out favourably as there were a low number of visitors at this time. Room to breath, although there’s plenty of that here in any case. Those with an aversion to stonework need not attend; there’s a lot of that matte white stuff. Especially in statue form, so, those with a fear of statues as well (officially known as ‘statue phobia’, no joke) should absolutely not attend.

A couple are dwarfed by the wall length paintings and murals that line the interior.

Throughout the various uses that the Pantheon has had in French history, it’s current usage is as a mausoleum for notable characters in the life and times of France. Make your way to the very end and journey down the tight stairwell into the crypt.  Ducking around the various compartments will get you face to face (figuratively speaking) with the likes of Victor Hugo, Voltaire, or Mr and Mrs Curie. Staying top-side gives access to the previously mentioned statues along with assorted paintings and murals. There are a few hanging specimens but the impressive pieces line the walls from ceiling to floor.

The roof dome where Foucault proved in 1851 that the Earth spun on its axis.

For those scientifically minded, the Pantheon holds it’s place in history for more than being a resting place for the famous. In 1851, Léon Foucault carried out his famous experiment to demonstrate that the Earth wasn’t a lazy hunk of dirt; it actually spun on it’s axis. A replica of this still stands in place. By suspending a pendulum from the main dome and allowing it to swing freely throughout the course of several hours, it was easily seen to change its path and gave unequivocal proof of the Earth’s rotation.