The Pantheon is not just another of Rome's many attractions--it is the best preserved structure of its age and size, anywhere. The building, in its current incarnation, was begun in 118 A.D., although this ground has hosted a temple of one kind or another since before recorded history.

Entering through the portico, I delighted in the richly patterned marble assembled in an elegant geometry of circles, squares and rectangles. Far above, the awesome dome spans the enormous space overhead, its center punctuated with a bright oculus, open to the elements

I stood underneath and felt the light rain as it fell, unimpeded, into the center of the building. as though I were being baptized by nature itself (the floor below has small openings to allow the water to drain away).

There's a certain feeling, difficult to put into words, standing on a spot which has been considered sacred for millennia.

Perhaps it was just good politics for Emperor Hadrian to build this "temple dedicated to all gods," but I like to think of it as an enlightened attempt to acknowledge the diversity of faith.

Next: Forward to Florence

Oculus
The dome of the Pantheon (at 142 feet, the world's largest until Florence's Duomo over 1300 years later) features a 27-foot opening which lets in light and air, and reduces the dome's weight.