Mar 102014
 

I’m not sure If I focused solely on the Pantheon’s giant doors intentionally or if it was a mistake. I like the kind of surreal feel it’s created in this image though. It seems to add to the feeling that the building is looming over you.

Extra points for anyone who translates the inscription for me.

Pantheon rome front on soft focus

Mar 042014
 

An Egyptian artifact, next to a former Pagan place of worship that’s now a Christian church… there’s a lot going on in this photo.

You probably recognize the Pantheon from earlier images. This obelisk, relocated from the Temple of Rome in Heliopolis, was once part of a pair. It was rediscovered in San Macuto in 1373 and found its current positioning in 1711 where it was used to add a flourish to the already present fountain.

I’m not sure when the garbage bin was installed… but did they really have to put it there? There was one on each corner of the fountain too, as if they wanted to make sure the scene was nicely balanced.

the pantheon and obelisk in the piazza del Rotundo, Rome

 

Mar 022014
 

It took me quite a while to find an angle to get an oblique shot of the Pantheon showing off the amazing pillars and pediment as well as the immensity of the cylinder supporting the dome. I also had to wait for a number of people to stop chatting and move out of frame. I decided I was happy to keep the person sitting on the stairs to give you a sense of scale.

Pantheon oblique no tourists no people columns dome and pediment early morning Rome winter italy

Feb 072014
 

It was a chilly morning in Rome, not as cold as London had been, but brisk. The marble that covers Rome was coated in a light dew. I was wearing an old pair of sneakers. The grip on them had been worn down to the point where I was walking on slicks. Rome was treacherous.

I’d slipped, tripped and slid my way around the Pantheon taking photos I thought were pretty good. Then, this guy decided to pull up with a horse and buggy, left it positioned perfectly while he had a coffee nearby, and I realised I’d have to do it all again.

Despite not having a replacement pair, the shoes found their resting place in a Roman trash can later that day.

A horse and buggy parked next to the Pantheon in Rome

Jan 252014
 

The Roman Pantheon was built during the reign of Augustus. The word Pantheon is actually Greek, for all gods, and the temple was dedicated to all the gods of Rome. It was later converted to a Roman Catholic church dedicated to St. Mary and the Martyrs. This re-dedication has probably contributed to this being one of the best preserved of Roman buildings.

the roman pantheon viewed from the north east