Pantheon

This ancient monument is certainly one of the best preserved in Rome. It was originally built by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa in 27 BC and was a temple dedicated to the pagan gods. Agrippa's name is still inscribed on the granite pillars, M.Agrippa.L.F.COS.Tertium.Fecit, (as: Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius and consul for the third time, had this built). It was rebuilt under the Emperor Hadrian in the years 118 - 125 AD and later, in the 3rd century, underwent a series of restorations under the Severian Emperors and in 609 was given to Pope Boniface IV as a gift, who in turn used the temple as a burial church and named the temple, Santa Maria ad Martyres.

Boniface IV then arranged for the bones of the Christian saints buried in the catacombs outside the city walls to be buried in Santa Maria ad Martyres instead.

The Pantheon is located in the lower part of Rome, in the old Campus Martius, on the south side of Piazza ella Rotonda.