We then walked over to The Pantheon. In the story “Angels and Demons”, it turns out to be a false lead. The Pantheon was built by Augustus (mentioned in the New Testament) in 27 BC, the original building was destroyed in a fire around 80 AD. Rebuilt in 127 by Hadrian, it now stands in its original form, probably the best preserved of all ancient buildings of comparable age. Although the word “pantheon” means “all the gods,” the building was dedicated as a Christian church in 609 under Pope Boniface IV. The Christian character of the building is not especially mentioned in Angels & Demons, which is more interested in its odder features, such as the “demon’s hole,” literally an open hole in the ceiling, better known as the oculus, or the “great eye,” symbolically opened to the sky. After the Middle Ages the place was used for the tombs of famous people, including Raphael, whose tomb is the false clue in the story. Two monarchs are buried there, Victor Emmanuel II and Umberto I, whose sepulchers are guarded by an ancient Italian monarchist group. While various secularists object to this, the Catholic Church does not.
Picture above is walking up to the front of the Pantheon. This is the side of it.
Today the Pantheon is set in a square, the Piazza della Minerva, which features, among other things, an Egyptian obelisk from the 6th century BC, supported on an elephant’s back. The Pantheon is ancient Rome's greatest surviving structure. Based on a perfect circle as wide as it is tall. The oculus it’s only source of light. It started as a pagan temple to being a Christian church. It has survived so well because it’s been in continues use for over 2,000 years. The one-piece granite columns were shipped from Egypt in one piece. Makes you wonder how the heck did they accomplish that task!
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