Travel Rome: Rome's Pantheon

One of Rome’s most preserved monuments is the Pantheon which borders the Piazza Della Rotonda. The Pantheon is located in the historic center of Rome which is close to the Piazza Navone.

The Pantheon featured an original stairway that led up to the Corinthian porch which is now under current street level. The entrance is lined with 75 foot columns. These columns weigh 60 tons each were carried from distant Egypt. Classical Rome is known for its amazing concrete mastery.

The grand entrance has a large bronze door that provides access to the inside of the Pantheon. Those who are lucky enough to visit should view the temple from the outside before entering. You will see the Pantheon dome which is considered the most remarkable features of the Pantheon rising 71 feet above the base and reaching 142 feet in diameter. No one has been able to figure out how it was constructed.

Right under the dome is a stucco decoration that was applied during the Renaissance. These used to be bronze rosettes and embellishments but fainted over the years. The rest of the interior has remained the same since the days of the Roman Empire.

The Pantheon has been a dedication to the old gods of Rome for over a thousand years when it because the first temple in the city to become Christianized. It was rededicated as the church of the Santa Maria Rotonda, or ad Martyres in AD 609 and still remains the same today.

Travel Rome: Rome’s Coliseum

Rome is a city that has its share of marvelous structures. The ruined arena we know as the Coliseum, also spelled Colosseum is known as one of the best examples of ancient Roman architecture. The Coliseum was once known as the Flavian Amphitheatre under the order of the Emperor Vespasian. It is still unknown as to who designed the Coliseum but whoever he was took over ten years to build. When it was completed it was the largest structure of its type in the world.

During ancient times in the center of the Coliseum was the arena where all the entertainment took place. The arena floor was constructed out of wooden planks which hid dark underground pits and passageways underneath it where the animals and men were kept before a show.

By far the most popular participants were the gladiators. Gladiator duals originated as part of the Etruscan funerary rites as a form of human sacrifices to the gods and by the time of Caesar it had become a blood sport to please the people. These gladiators were often slaves or criminals who were forced to fight for their freedom.

Eventually the barbarians overcame the Eternal City and forced the continent into the Dark Ages leaving the Coliseum completely abandoned. The Coliseum’s reputation goes all the way back to the Middle Ages when Bede wrote the lines: “While the Colosseo stands, Rome shall stand, but when the Colosseo falls, Rome shall fall and when Rome falls, the world will end.