The Pantheon was another spot where I can recall somewhat vividly being there. I have just one old photo of this massive structure, and frankly it wasn't a very good photo.
The Pantheon, I'm told, is a structure that was designed to be a temple to "all" the gods. It really is quite impressive and massive. Marcus Agrippa commissioned it in 27 AD to be built for a temple to represent all the Roman Gods. Then Hadrian rebuilt it in 126AD. Does it amaze anyone else that it's still standing?
As I mentioned the building is massive. Just look at the little people standing out front. Those aren't "Honey-I-Shrunk-The-Kids" kind of people. Those are normal size people.
The Pantheon is circular and has these HUGE pure granite columns our front. Each column is ONE piece of granite. Inside you are greeted with an ominous feeling that this building has some significance.
The ceiling is a - here's that word again - massive concrete ceiling with a central opening (I think they called it an oculus). It's the only source of light inside. According to Wikipedia, and Rick Steves, "Almost two thousand years after it was built, the Pantheon's dome is still the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome."
The height to the oculus and the diameter of the interior circle are the same 142 ft.
Once inside there are tombs to ancient Roman's. Since the 7th century, the Pantheon has been used as a Roman Catholic church dedicated to "St. Mary and the Martyrs" but informally known as "Santa Maria Rotonda.".
Outside the Pantheon is a piazza (where in Rome isn't a piazza is a good question.) It's officially called Piazza della Rotonda, though I never refered to it that way. It was always, "where the Pantheon is."
In the center of the piazza is the Fontana del Panthoen - clever name eh? - and has one of many Egyptian obelisks in the center of it. The fountain was built in 1571 and the obelisk was added in 1771. Interesting little tidbit I read in one of the guide books. Because the piazza is sloped slightly there are two steps on one side of the fountain and five on the other to adjust for this sloping to make the fountain balanced. Those Romans always being smart.
The 20-foot red marble Egyptian obelisk was actually contructed by Pharaoh Ramses II in Eqypt. The Romans stole it - like many others - and brought it back to Rome.
The obelisk was rediscovered in 1375 underneath part of the Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva.
After all the walking around Piazza Navona, then walking to the Pantheon we all needed a break before trekking to the Trevi Fountain. We found this little café on the corner on one of the many alley like streets and we sat down. Jack, Suzi, the MomUnit and I all ordered a bottle of water and a beer.
As we took our time sipping this ice cold refreshing beer we checked out the map to try to make heads or tails of where the Trevi Fountain was. It is easy to get turned around in Rome in that there are many little alley ways that don't actually show up on the map. So if you're "counting" streets, you're bound to get lost.
We thought we had a plan and were sure we knew where to go. As we sat outside discussing it, Jack went in to pay for the beers. Awfully nice of him, wasn't it?
He walked back out and he had this very puzzled look on his face, and was a bit pale. He sat and sighed slightly. Then in a somewhat shocked voice he said, "Those 4 beers and 4 waters cost us 48EU." Let me do the math for you. That's $66.49. To say we were slightly shocked is putting it mildly.
We finished our expensive beers, and packed our expensive bottle water in our packs and off we went. We were all slightly dumbfounded so just started walking in a straight-ish direction. In front of us was an enormous hill, with about 4 flights of steps at the top.
We started to climb.
And climb....
And climb....
I reached the top first and noticed that there was no fountain. I walked back to the steps where the MomUnit, Jack and Suzi were just about to the top. The MomUnit said, "There had BETTER be a fountain at the top of this hill." I didn't have the guts to tell her no at that point.
Once at the top we realized we were by one of the many government buildings in Rome. Not the Trevi Fountain.
I asked the guard in broken Italian, "Dov 'e la Fontana del Trevi?" He pointed BACK down the hill and said in perfect English, "Second right."
BACK down the hill we went. Grumbling and making comments about how stupid the map was, etc.
The second right? Yah, it was the corner our expensive beers lived. Had we zigged instead of zagged we would have easily found the fountain.
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