Experience divine wonder in the temple of all gods.
Visiting the Pantheon is a must-do in Rome. It’s the best-preserved temple from the ancient world that you have to see to believe. In this guide, we’ll show you the best ticket options and what to look for once you’re inside.
Pantheon Tickets
There are several ticket options to choose from, depending on how you want to experience the Pantheon:
Skip the long lines and explore the Pantheon at your own pace.
🎧 Fast Track Ticket + Digital Audio Guide
Get priority entry and immerse yourself in the Pantheon’s history with a digital audio guide featuring dramatized storytelling.
👨🏫 Fast Track Ticket + Guided Tour
Learn the Pantheon history with a live guide. Available in 6 languages, this tour offers a deeper understanding of the Pantheon architecture and fascinating details you might miss on your own.
Save time and money
Rome Tourist Card
This pass is the easiest and quickest way to check off everything on your Rome bucket list.
Highlights
antonaleksenko82.gmail.com/DepositphotosTickets & Prices
Here’s our best tip: book your ticket online.
While you can often buy tickets at the entrance, the queue to purchase them can be long. And you definitely don’t want to be stuck waiting in the Roman summer heat.
Where to Buy
Right here! You can book Pantheon tickets directly on our website for your preferred date. We offer tickets through a licensed retailer of official Pantheon tickets that will get you through the doors swiftly for your scheduled entry.
Here’s a look to what included in each Pantheon ticket type. This will help you choose what suits you best.
AndreasZerndl/DepositphotosFast-track Ticket with Optional Audio Guide
⚡️ Fast-track: yes
🕵🏼♀️ Live guide: no
🎧 Audio: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish
⏳ Duration: flexible
If you like to explore on your own schedule, this is the ticket for you.
For a little more context as you wander, you can also buy a ticket that comes with a digital audio guide.
nullPantheon Guided Tour
⚡️ Fast-track: yes
🕵🏼♀️ Live guide: English, Spanish, French, Italian
🎧 Audio: no
⏳ Duration: 45mins – 3h
The Pantheon has so many hidden secrets, and a guided tour is the best way to uncover them. These are fascinating details you simply won’t find searching online.
When booking, you can choose a tour only on the Pantheon, or a combo tour that also includes nearby sites like the Stadium of Domitian.
Rome Tourist Card
⚡️ Fast-track: yes
🕵🏼♀️ Live guide: no
🎧 Audio: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish
⏳ Duration: flexible
If you plan to see Rome’s “big three”, the Pantheon, Colosseum, and Vatican, this is for you.
The Rome Tourist Card bundles all the top sites together. It usually saves you a bit of money, but the real win is the convenience of having all your bookings in one go.
How to Book
- Choose your visit date from the calendar to see the available tickets. For guided tours, select your preferred language.
- Select your experience, such as the standard Fast Track Ticket or the upgraded option with Audio Guide.
- Pick an open time slot from the list and choose how many tickets you need (adult, child, EU citizen).
- You’ll then be guided to a checkout page where you can add tickets to other attractions at discounted prices.
- Enter your contact details and confirm the booking.
- Once complete, your digital tickets are sent directly to your email.
Additional Ticket Information:
- Pick your time slot online, but remember to arrive earlier, as there may be a waiting period due to safety checks.
- Bring your photo ID; the printed or mobile ticket; and appropriate attire (no shorts, vests, or sleeveless tops).
- The meeting point is at the welcome desk inside the Pantheon.
- Children aged under 17 and EU citizens can buy tickets at lower prices.
More Ways to Visit the Pantheon
andreyspb21.gmail.com/DepositphotosSkip The Line Ticket: Rome Pantheon & Castel Sant’Angelo
Buy this bundle if you also want to visit Castel Sant’Angelo. It’ll save you a few euros compared to buying each ticket separately.
From the terrace of Castel Sant’Angelo, you can get pictures with a stunning backdrop of Ancient Rome. That’s the photo most visitors come for!
Big Bus ToursPantheon & Hop-on Hop-off Bus
Find the nearest Big Bus stop, hop on, and enjoy panoramic 360° views as you’re passing Rome’s most famous landmarks. You can buy the bus pass for 1, 2, or 3 days.
When it’s time for the Pantheon, hop off at the nearby stop and use your ticket to get inside without waiting in the long ticket line.
Plan Your Visit
It was originally built as a temple in ancient Rome, commissioned by Marcus Agrippa during the reign of Augustus. However, the structure we see today is actually a reconstruction dating back to around 126 AD, commissioned by Emperor Hadrian.
The Pantheon has served various purposes over the centuries, including as a temple dedicated to all Roman gods. Its iconic dome, with its famous oculus, is a marvel of engineering and architectural design.
Today the Pantheon is a Catholic church, whose name is Basilica di Santa Maria ad Martyres. Despite many modifications made to the structure over time, a Latin inscription adorning the temple’s façade serves as a reminder of its founder.
One of the most notable attractions in Rome, the Pantheon stands as a testament to the grandeur of ancient Rome, attracting visitors from around the world.
The Pantheon is open every day from 9:00 to 19:00, with last entry at 30 minutes before the closing time.
Visitors can enter for free on the first Sunday of each month, but you should expect super long lines and of course, huge crowds.
It is closed on January 1st, August 15th, and December 25th.
Times can vary on religious holidays, make sure you check with the official website before planning your visit.
The Pantheon is in the heart of Rome, a few steps away from Largo Argentina and Piazza Navona.
Pantheon
Piazza della Rotonda, 00186 Roma RM, Italy · Google Maps
Rome’s city center is a traffic-restricted zone. It’s usually easier to reach the Pantheon using public transport, especially during the daytime. The stop you will need to reach is likely Largo Argentina, and it’s 5 minute’s walk away from your destination.
- From Trastevere, catch the line 8 tram.
- From St. Peter’s, catch a bus. Either 64, 492, or 81 will take you there.
- From Termini station, hop on the 64 bus.
- If you are near the Colosseum and San Giovanni area, buses 51, 87, and 81 can get you to the Pantheon.
- Metro is about a 15-minute walk away. To reach the Pantheon by metro, use the ‘Barberini’ metro stop on line A and walk on via del Tritone.
- You can take a taxi that can take you to Piazza della Rotonda, where the Pantheon is.
- If you feel adventurous, you can use one of Rome’s bike-sharing or scooter services.
Once you’re in the area, if you are not sure which way to go, use your GPS on your phone or rely on an old-fashioned map.
And, if you’re lost, don’t be shy to ask for directions from a local. Most will be very happy to help you and will point you toward the main entrance.
sborisov/DepositphotosIf you book a ticket for a particular time, it’s important to show up on time. Plan in advance, especially if you’re reaching the Pantheon by public transport.
The Pantheon is indeed a crowded tourist attraction, but it’s also an active Catholic church.
A modest dress code is required, and you may not be allowed inside if you’re wearing short shorts, short skirts, as well as backless or sleeveless dresses.
In the Pantheon, there’s a welcome desk on the left. You can go there to get an official audio guide and buy souvenirs. The audio guides are available in English, Italian, French, Spanish, Chinese, German, Portuguese, and Russian.
There isn’t a public toilet inside the Pantheon. However, you can find plenty of bars and restaurants in Piazza della Rotonda, which normally have these facilities.
The entrance to the Pantheon is also easily accessible with just one step.
What to See Inside the Pantheon
Inside the Pantheon, there are several notable things to see.
- Tombs: Italy’s first king is buried here, along with the famous artist Raphael.
- Dome: The dome of the Pantheon is particularly fascinating. It features an open hole that allows sunlight – and rain – to enter, creating a unique and striking effect.
- Chapels: Inside, you will find chapels dedicated to saints, such as Saint Joseph and the Madonna of Clemency.
- Statues, paintings, and frescoes: Take a moment to appreciate the detailed frescos displayed on the walls.
- Floors: Don’t overlook the coloured marble floors at the Pantheon. Be sure to take a moment to admire their beauty.
Pixabay License Glavo/PixabaySurroundings
The Pantheon is situated in the heart of Rome’s city center, offering you numerous options for activities once your visit is complete.
- Have espresso at La Casa del Caffè Tazza d’Oro. This coffee house holds a significant place in the history of Roman espresso.
- Don’t miss the opportunity to have a traditional Roman lunch at Armando al Pantheon, a beloved restaurant among locals.
- If you’re feeling hungry and in the mood for a healthy breakfast, make your way to Ginger Sapori e Salute in Piazza di Sant’Eustachio.
- For an old-fashioned smoothie, head to Frullati Pascucci in via di Torre Argentina. The place has been there for 50 years, so they have been doing something right.
- Elephant and Obelisk is a beautiful sculpture by Gian Lorenzo Bernini that you don’t want to miss. It’s in Piazza della Minerva, a few steps away from Pantheon.
- Piazza Navona is renowned as one of the most exquisite public open spaces in Rome. It occupies the location where the Stadium of Domitian once stood, dating back to the 1st century AD. The design of the square retains the shape of the original stadium.
- Campo de’ Fiori market has been a beloved destination for both locals and tourists for many years. Make sure not to miss the opportunity to taste a slice of freshly baked pizza bianca (pizza bread) from the renowned bakery, Forno Campo de’ Fiori.
- The Trevi Fountain is a short distance away from the Pantheon and is an absolute must-see when exploring the heart of Rome. This grand and picturesque fountain is considered one of Rome’s most treasured gems. As it tends to attract large crowds, it is advisable to visit early in the day if you wish to avoid the majority of the crowds.
Did you Know That: 5 Interesting Facts
- The dome is bigger than that of St. Peter’s Basilica.
- Michelangelo once said that he felt the Pantheon was the work of angels, not men. High praise from one of the most famous artists who ever lived.
- The name comes from two Greek words: pan, ‘everything’, and theon, ‘divine’.
- The inscription ‘M.AGRIPPA.L.F.COS.TERTIVM.FECIT’ on the facade is in Latin and means: ‘Marcus Agrippa, the son of Lucius, three times consul, built this.’
- According to legend, it was built on the site where Romulus, the founder of Rome, ascended into the sky to join the gods.
History
The original structure, built between 25 and 27 B.C.E. by the consul Agrippa, was a small temple dedicated to the Roman gods.
The emperor Domitian rebuilt it in 80 C.E. after a fire, but only 30 years later, it was hit by lightning and caught fire again.
It was then rebuilt in its current form by Emperor Hadrian, known for his eclectic tastes.
Over the years, it was repaired by various emperors, which helped to preserve it.
In 609 C.E., Pope Boniface IV converted it into a Christian church and consecrated it to St. Mary and the Martyrs. Its status as a church saved it from abandonment and destruction over the following centuries.
Several important artists were buried there during the Renaissance, among them Raphael and Annibale Carracci.
In the 17th century, Pope Urban VIII ordered that the bronze ceiling of the portico be melted down, to be used to make bombards for the fortification of Castel Sant’Angelo.
After the reunification of Italy, two ‘modern’ kings chose to be buried there.
Today, apart from being a tourist attraction, the Pantheon is still in use as a Catholic church. Masses are celebrated there, as well as holy days and even the occasional wedding.
FAQs
What is the Pantheon in Rome famous for?
The Pantheon is famous for being the most preserved monument of ancient Rome. It was constructed as a temple dedicated to the Gods and became the burial ground for several important people, including famous artists and kings.
Is Pantheon Rome Free?
Starting from July 1st, 2023, there is a €5 fee to enter the Pantheon. However, Roman residents, individuals under 18, protected categories, and teachers with school groups don’t need to pay. People between 18 and 25 years old will pay €2.
What is inside the Roman Pantheon?
Inside the Pantheon, you will find many tombs, chapels, Renaissance art – frescoes, paintings, and sculptures.
Why is there a hole in the Pantheon?
There is a hole in the Pantheon (the oculus) to reduce the weight and stress on the dome ceiling and its most vulnerable point. The oculus also provides light. It was believed that the light was a connection between the temple and the Gods.