The magnificent Pantheon is the best-preserved building from ancient Rome. The portico, with its stately pediment, has symbolized Roman greatness ever since antiquity. Its massive one-piece granite columns were shipped from Egypt. They’re huge. It takes four tourists to hug one.

Step inside to enjoy the finest look anywhere at the splendor of ancient Rome at its zenith. Its dimensions are classic — based on a perfect circle, it’s as wide as it is tall: 140 feet…and beautifully lit from above by its oculus.

The beauty of the Pantheon and the brilliance of its construction has inspired architects through the ages. “Pan-theon” means “all gods.” It was thought to be a kind of spiritual menagerie where the many gods of the empire were worshipped. The building is as awe-inspiring today as it was back then.

The Pantheon survived so well because it’s been in continuous use for over 2,000 years. It went almost directly from pagan times to being a Christian church…a reminder that for its last century, ancient Rome was Christian.