Santa Maria sopra Minerva
Rome, Italy
Pantheon, Rome
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Photo: NikonZ7II, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Ticket
- ≈ €5, free under 18; some sources report €7 from July 2026
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Opening hours
- Daily 9:00–19:00, last entry 18:30
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 30 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Closed
- 25 December and 1 January; tourist entry pauses during Mass
- Free
- First Sunday of the month; worshippers attending Mass
- Time needed
- 30–40 minutes
- Location
- Piazza della Rotonda, 10 minutes' walk from Trevi and Piazza Navona
Key facts
c. AD 113–125the current building, under Hadrian, replacing Agrippa's burnt temple
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English Wikipedia43.3 mdome diameter — equal to the height from floor to oculus
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English WikipediaRecordthe world's largest unreinforced concrete dome
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English Wikipedia≈ 8.2 mwidth of the oculus, the only source of light
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English Wikipedia609Pope Boniface IV consecrated it as Santa Maria ad Martyres
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English Wikipedia16 columnsof Egyptian granite in the portico, each about 12 m tall
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English WikipediaRaphaelis buried here, alongside two kings of Italy
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English WikipediaM·AGRIPPAthe frieze reads 'Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, consul for the third time, built this'
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English WikipediaHow old is the Pantheon?
The building you see dates from the reign of Hadrian, around AD 113–125. It replaced an earlier temple built by Marcus Agrippa, Augustus's right-hand man, which burned down — and Hadrian kept Agrippa's name on the front: M·AGRIPPA·L·F·COS·TERTIVM·FECIT, 'Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, consul for the third time, built this'. That inscription confused historians for centuries.
The Pantheon survived intact because in 609 Pope Boniface IV turned it into the church of Santa Maria ad Martyres. It's still a working church, with Sunday Mass and weddings, which is why its bronze doors and marble floor are largely original.
The dome and the oculus
The dome is 43.3 metres across — the largest unreinforced concrete dome ever built. Roman engineers lightened it towards the top by mixing pumice into the concrete and carving five rings of square coffers into the ceiling. The height from floor to crown is also 43.3 metres, so a perfect sphere would fit inside.
At the top is the oculus, an open circle about 8.2 metres wide and the building's only window. On a sunny day a disc of light moves slowly across the walls like a sundial. When it rains, water falls straight in and drains through 22 small holes in the gently sloped floor. On Pentecost Sunday firefighters drop thousands of rose petals through the opening, a tradition revived in the 1990s.
Who is buried in the Pantheon?
Raphael is buried in a niche to the left of the high altar, under the Madonna del Sasso statue, with a Latin epitaph by Cardinal Pietro Bembo. His fiancée Maria Bibbiena lies nearby. The first kings of united Italy are here too — Victor Emmanuel II on the right and Umberto I with Queen Margherita on the left — along with the architect Baldassare Peruzzi and the painter Annibale Carracci.
Pantheon tickets and free entry
Since July 2023 the Pantheon has charged about €5 for adults; under-18s go free. Several 2026 guides report a rise to €7 from 1 July 2026, so check the official site before you go. Tickets are sold online with a time slot and at the desk by the entrance; in summer the desk queue can take half an hour.
Entry is free on the first Sunday of the month, and worshippers can attend Mass without a ticket through a separate line — but you can't walk around or take photos during the service. An audio guide is available, though the essentials take half an hour without one.
Pantheon opening hours
The Pantheon opens every day from 9:00 to 19:00, with last entry at 18:30. It's closed on 25 December and 1 January, and tourist entry pauses for an hour or so during weekend Masses. The ticket desk shuts before the doors do, so book ahead for an evening visit.
What to look for inside
- The portico — 16 Egyptian granite columns, about 12 metres tall, and ancient bronze doors.
- The oculus — stand in the centre and look up; the patch of sunlight tells the time of day.
- The coffered ceiling — five rows of sunken squares that lighten the dome.
- Raphael's tomb — left of the altar, with Bembo's famous epitaph.
- Royal tombs — Victor Emmanuel II and Umberto I on opposite sides of the rotunda.
- The marble floor — the original pattern of circles and squares, with drainage holes.
- Piazza della Rotonda fountain — topped by an Egyptian obelisk, the best spot for a façade photo.
How to get to the Pantheon
Tap a route to highlight it on the map.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
On foot
- Santa Maria sopra Minerva is about 4 min away on foot.
- San Luigi dei Francesi is about 4 min away on foot.
- Sant'Ignazio is about 4 min away on foot.
More tips
- Walk: 10 minutes from the Trevi Fountain, 5 minutes from Piazza Navona.
- No metro stops at the Pantheon; Barberini on line A is a 15–20 minute walk.
- Buses 40 and 64 or tram 8 to Largo di Torre Argentina, then 5 minutes north.
- From the Colosseum it's about 2 km, 25 minutes via Piazza Venezia.
Best time to visit
Come at 9:00 or in the last hour before closing for the thinnest crowds. Around midday the sunbeam is lowest and most dramatic, but that's also when tour groups arrive. A rainy day is surprisingly good: drops fall through the oculus into the middle of the hall while everyone stands around the edges.
The façade is floodlit in the evening and the cafés on the piazza stay busy late — the outside is free to see at any hour.
Is the Pantheon worth visiting?
Absolutely. It's the only ancient Roman building you can see whole and step inside, and the ticket costs less than lunch. Half an hour is enough to stand under the oculus, find Raphael and study the coffers. Pair it with the Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona and Santa Maria sopra Minerva, all within a 10-minute walk.
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Ancient Rome: compare and choose
Ancient sites in Rome rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| Pantheonyou are here | 82 | 30 min | ≈ €5 | — |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colosseum | 73 | 2 h | ≈ €18 | 27 min walk |
| Roman Forum | 63 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €18 with Colosseum | 17 min walk |
| Circus Maximus | 63 | 30 min | Free | 28 min walk |
| Trajan's Column | 60 | 15 min | Free | 12 min walk |
| Capitoline Hill | 58 | 30 min | Free | 13 min walk |
| Castel Sant'Angelo | 57 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €15–20 | 17 min walk |
| Arch of Constantine | 57 | 15 min | Free | 26 min walk |
| Palatine Hill | 54 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €18 with Colosseum | 24 min walk |
| Mausoleum of Augustus | 53 | 45 min | ≈ €5, booking | 14 min walk |
| Largo di Torre Argentina | 53 | 30 min | Free from street; walkways ≈ €5 | 6 min walk |
| Pyramid of Cestius | 52 | 20 min | Free | 43 min walk |
| Appian Way | 49 | 3 h | Free | 7.9 km |
| Domus Aurea | 49 | 1 h 15 min | ≈ €18, with VR ≈ €26 | 30 min walk |
| Mouth of Truth | 49 | 20 min | Donation ≈ €2 | 21 min walk |
| Baths of Caracalla | 48 | 1 h 15 min | ≈ €8 | 42 min walk |
| Catacombs of Rome | 48 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €10–12 with guide | 32 min walk |
| Ara Pacis | 47 | 1 h | ≈ €13–15 | 15 min walk |
| Theatre of Marcellus | 47 | 20 min | Free | 13 min walk |
| Vatican Museums | 44 | 3 h | ≈ €25 | 36 min walk |
| Capitoline Museums | 43 | 2 h 30 min | ≈ €15–19.50 | 14 min walk |
| Baths of Diocletian | 42 | 1 h | Basilica free; museum ≈ €10–12 | 32 min walk |
| Basilica of San Clemente | 39 | 1 h | Upper free; excavations ≈ €10–12 | 35 min walk |
| Imperial Fora | 38 | 1 h | Free from the street; museum ≈ €13–15 | 15 min walk |
| Testaccio | 38 | 2 h | Free | 43 min walk |
| Palazzo Massimo | 34 | 2 h | ≈ €10–12 combined ticket | 31 min walk |
| Ostia Antica | 31 | 3 h | ≈ €12–18 | 22.5 km |
| Hadrian's Villa | 29 | 3 h | ≈ €12–15 | 25.1 km |
Historic centre on foot
Trevi Fountain early before the crowds, then the Pantheon at opening and Piazza Navona with Bernini's Four Rivers fountain.
- Trevi Fountain20 min · Free; basin €2
- 10 min walk from the previous stopPantheonyou are here30 min · ≈ €5
- 5 min walk from the previous stopPiazza Navona30 min · Free
3 places · about 1 h 35 min with walks · 15 min on foot in total
Nearby and on the way
How to do it right
- Stand right under the oculus for the best view of the coffers.
- Midday gives the sharpest disc of sunlight on the wall.
- The façade is lit after dark and free to see.
- Worshippers enter Mass free, but no photos during the service.
Questions
How much does it cost to enter the Pantheon?
About €5, free under 18; some 2026 guides report €7 from 1 July 2026. Free on the first Sunday of the month.
Do I need to book Pantheon tickets?
Not strictly, but a timed online ticket avoids the desk queue in busy months.
What are the Pantheon's opening hours?
Daily 9:00–19:00, last entry 18:30; closed 25 December and 1 January.
Why is there a hole in the Pantheon roof?
The oculus, about 8.2 m wide, is the only light source; rain drains through holes in the floor.
Who is buried in the Pantheon?
Raphael, kings Victor Emmanuel II and Umberto I, Queen Margherita, Annibale Carracci and Baldassare Peruzzi.
How old is the Pantheon?
The current building dates from about AD 113–125, under Hadrian.
How long do you need at the Pantheon?
30–40 minutes.
Is the Pantheon still a church?
Yes — Santa Maria ad Martyres since 609, with regular Mass.
What does the Pantheon inscription say?
'Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, consul for the third time, built this' — a tribute to the original builder.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- Official Pantheon page (Italian Ministry of Culture, Musei Italiani)
- English Wikipedia, Pantheon, Rome
- 2026 visitor guides: Through Eternity, Romewise, Ciao Italia
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