Rom
The Pantheon in Rome is one of the most visited cultural sites in Italy. But the maintenance and renovation of the more than 1000-year-old building is expensive. Therefore, visitors should soon pay admission.
In the future, tourists will have to pay admission to the Pantheon in Rome. From an as yet unknown date, a maximum of five euros will be due to visit the ancient building in the Eternal City, the Italian Ministry of Culture announced.
According to the ministry, more than seven million people visited the Pantheon at weddings – making it the most visited cultural site in Italy. The entry should be used for the care and renovation of the building – one of the most important in architectural history – the statement said.
Accordingly, children under the age of 18 and residents of the city of Rome should be exempt from the entrance fee. Church services and religious activities should also be free to attend. Also involved is the diocese of Rome, which wants to use the proceeds for charitable and cultural purposes.
Most of the ancient monuments in Rome, including the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, have long had an entrance fee. Only many churches are still freely accessible.
The Eastern Roman Emperor Phocas gave the pagan temple to Pope Boniface IV in 609, who had it dedicated to the church. The Italian kings Victor Emmanuel II and Umberto I are buried in the Pantheon, along with a number of artists, such as the Renaissance painter and architect Raphael. The first building was erected between 27 and 25 BC. The impressive domed structure was built in the first half of the second century AD.
