Tour Rome’s oldest building to see its ancient oculus.
Choose Your Pantheon Experience
Quick ticket options to explore this 2,000 Years of Wonder. All tickets include skip-the-line access.
Fast-Track Ticket + Audio Guide
Skip the lines and explore on your own with an audio guide telling you all the secrets.
Get a live guide for 45min-3hrs who’ll answer all your questions and show you things you’d miss.
Book Everything In One Go
Rome Tourist Card
Bundle your Pantheon entry with Colosseum, Vatican Museums, ancient sites, and audio guides – all sorted in a single booking.
Highlights
Tickets & Prices
Important to Know
All visitors must purchase a ticket to enter the Pantheon complex.
Tickets can be purchased in advance online or at the complex’s entrance. Those wishing to reserve spots in guided tours should book as far in advance as possible.
| Features | Audio Guide Tour | Guided Tour | Rome Tourist Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Seller | |||
| Prices | From €17.50 | From €25.00 | From €85.00 |
| Skip-the-line entry | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Interactive audio with film clips | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Live expert guide | ✓ (45min-3hrs) | ||
| Headset | ✓ | ||
| Attractions included | Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, Castel Sant’Angelo, Colosseum, Roman Forum, St. Peter’s Basilica | ||
| Languages | English, Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish | English, French, Italian, and Spanish | English, French, German, Italian, Spanish |
| Free Cancellation | Free Cancellation |
Combo Tickets & Experiences
Pantheon + Piazza Navona Square 3D Experience
Skip the line at the Pantheon, then explore Piazza Navona with cutting-edge video guide and augmented reality technology. Watch ancient Rome come to life!
From €14.00
Pantheon + Castel Sant’Angelo
Visit two iconic sites in one ticket. Start at Castel Sant’Angelo – a massive fortress on the Tiber with seven floors of ancient relics and Renaissance art. Then head to the Pantheon to see where it all began.
From €44.00
Reviews
Visitors find the Pantheon’s architectural beauty breathtaking, with the massive oculus creating a deeply moving, almost spiritual atmosphere as natural light pours through. They appreciate the profound connection to 2,000 years of history and are impressed by details like the ancient concrete made with volcanic ash. Many enjoy unexpected bonuses like live performances and the excellent audio guide.
However, peak times can feel overwhelming, with the dome’s acoustics amplifying noise from hundreds of visitors, and pickpockets working the crowded piazza outside. The lack of toilets inside catches people off guard. Additionally, “skip the line” tickets receive mixed reviews, with some reporting identical wait times and strictly enforced time slots. That said, booking online is still the smarter move to guarantee entry and avoid sold-out situations.
Reserve Your SpotPlan Your Visit
| Day | Opening Hours | Last Entry |
|---|---|---|
| Monday – Sunday | 09:00 – 19:00 | 18:45 |
- Closed on: January 1st, August 15th, and December 25th.
- Free entry: Every first Sunday of the month.
When:
- Saturday and the days before holidays at 17:00
- Sundays and public holidays at 10:30
Language: Italian (traditional Roman Catholic rites)
Note:
- Some areas may be restricted during mass. Check the schedule ahead of time.
- For those interested in attending a mass at the Pantheon, services are conducted in Italian in accordance with traditional Roman Catholic rites.
With its central location in Piazza della Rotonda, the Pantheon is easy to reach on foot from nearby popular attractions.
By walk: It’s just a few minutes away from Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps.
By Metro: Take Line A to Barberini Station, the closest stop, just a 15-minute walk from the Pantheon.
Hop-on buses and taxis are less convenient. When taking a taxi, passengers are generally dropped off at the closest accessible spot behind the Pantheon that requires a short walk to the entrance.
Additional Info:
Main entrance: Located on Piazza della Rotonda.
At the entrance, guests are separated into a cash-only line, card-only line, and fast-track line for those who purchased tickets ahead of time online.
Dress Code
Like many religious sites within the Eternal City, the Pantheon is a functional Roman Catholic Church. Guests should adhere to a modest dress code:
No mini skirts, sleeveless shirts, “short” shorts, and beach clothing.
Clothing should cover shoulders and knees.
Shawls are encouraged when wearing “strappy” dresses.
Photography
Pictures (no flash) are allowed
Flash photography
Tripods
Commercial photography
Blocking other visitors
Other Visitor Rules
When visiting this sacred site, silence is expected of guests.
Visitors should not bring food into the Pantheon.
Any activity that would block the movement or views of other visitors is also prohibited.
The Pantheon grounds are wheelchair-accessible. A ramp is available at the entrance. Guests using wheelchairs or walking aids can easily utilize the structure’s large entrance doors and smooth, easy-to-navigate marble floors.
Insider Tips
- Arrive at 9 AM. Early entry consistently means smaller crowds and better lighting conditions.
- Don’t rush your visit! Set aside at least two hours to fully appreciate the Pantheon.
- Have multiple payment options ready. Bring cash as backup if cards fail, and vice versa.
- Understand time slots are rigid. 15 minutes early is fine, one minute late means you’re turned away.
- Get the audio guide. The quality and historical detail make it worthwhile.
- Cover shoulders and knees. Even if enforcement seems arbitrary, avoid the risk of being denied entry.
- Use the bathroom beforehand. No facilities available inside the building.
- Consider Sunday morning Mass. Free entry and a unique cultural experience.
- Stay alert in the piazza. Crowded tourist areas attract pickpockets.
- Stay for a meal. After exiting the Pantheon, walk over to Piazza della Rotonda to explore the charming and authentic restaurants in the plaza to enjoy a sidewalk meal far away from noisy street traffic.
What to See & Do (with Pictures)
The Oculus
Pexels License Christian Thöni/PexelsLatin for “eye,” the oculus is considered both the crowning feature of the Pantheon and an enduring symbol of the Roman Empire.
Designed to let natural light spill in from the heavens, the oculus illuminates the Pantheon’s interior. As a former place of worship for pagan devotees of Jupiter, Venus, Mars, and thousands of other Roman deities, the dome that holds the oculus offered a sense of divine connection to higher things.
In a testament to the genius of Ancient Roman engineering, the height and diameter of the interior circle are both 145 feet.
The Dome
Pexels LicenseJames Frid/PexelsAs visitors enter the Pantheon’s dome, their eyes sweep upward to its ascending concrete walls that lead up to the oculus. Considered the largest and most impressive unreinforced dome of the ancient world, this mathematically perfect exercise in symmetry stands as tall as it does wide from floor to top.
As the walls soar toward the opening in the top, they begin to thin out into 5-foot-thick walls made from volcanic stone. Guests lucky enough to visit Rome on a rainy day will learn that the hole inside the dome allows it to also rain inside the Pantheon. No need to pack an umbrella! While exciting, rainfall is carefully managed by drains in the structure’s floor that direct water outside.
The Marble Floor & Walls
AndreasZerndl/DepositphotosHeavy use of marble throughout the Pantheon’s interior and exterior creates an illustrious, elegant sheen that is most noticeable when the high midday sun pours in through the oculus.
When passing the portico of the Pantheon, visitors can note elegant capitals and bases carved from Greek marble. The smooth, wet-look marble floor inside the structure consisting of geometric patterns is original to the Pantheon’s Roman design. While the interior columns are also original, their marble veneers have been extensively restored over the ages.
The Altars
Pexels LicenseAlejandro Aznar/PexelsWhile the Pantheon was originally a pagan temple to all gods that Romans worshipped, it endures today as a place of worship and pilgrimage for the world’s 1.3 billion Roman Catholics. Inside the Pantheon, visitors will find one main altar and two ancillary altars, each with unique religious significance.
- Directly across from the entrance, the main or “high” altar features a striking relief of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, depicting the mother of Jesus being lifted to heaven by angels.
- To the right of the main altar, an all-marble altar dedicated to the Holy Spirit illustrates the moment described in Acts 2:1-11, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles.
- At the back of the Pantheon, a marble altar dedicated to St. Paul showcases a dramatic relief of the apostle’s beheading.
The Tombs
EvrenKalinbacak/DepositphotosPrior to his death in April of 1520, Raphael requested a burial in the Pantheon. Today, the Renaissance painter’s tomb is one of the must-visit attractions within the former temple. It notably features the “Madonna del Sasso” sculpted by Lorenzo Lotti. The tomb is also buffered by a bronze bust of Raphael from 1833.
The Pantheon is notably also the resting place of King Vittorio Emanuele II. Known as the Father of the Homeland, Emanuele II became the first leader of a free and unified Italy upon his rise to the throne in 1861. Other notable figures to find final rest at the Pantheon’s crypt include Victor Hugo, Voltaire, Rousseau, and Louis Braille.
Did You Know That? Facts
- As the rest of ancient Rome fell all around it in AD 476, the Pantheon remained generally unscathed. With Christianity’s rise, the former temple to “all gods” was converted into a church dedicated to martyrs.
- As they marvel at the enormous columns that define the Pantheon’s facade, visitors can appreciate the fact that each 55-ton column is composed of a single piece of red-grey granite that was shipped across the Mediterranean from Egypt.
- Designed under Hadrian’s rule, the Pantheon stands today as the only building from ancient Rome that has been used without interruption since its construction. Some historians believe that Hadrian himself influenced the design of the Pantheon based on temples he saw in person while visiting Greece. Most impressive is that its dome stands equal parts wide and tall at 142 feet wide from floor to tip by 142 feet wide from side to side.
History
A timeline of the Pantheon throughout the ages:
BC 80
The original Pantheon that was built under Marcus Agrippa is destroyed by fire.
AD 110
The second Roman Pantheon that was reconstructed by Domitian is destroyed by fire.
AD 118
Emperor Hadrian orders the reconstruction of the Pantheon.
AD 125
Construction of the Pantheon that stands today in Rome is completed.
AD 609
Formerly a pagan temple to all gods of Rome, the Pantheon is converted into a Christian church. Under the direction of Pope Boniface IV, it is named Basilica of St. Mary and the Martyrs. Relics of martyrs taken from catacombs throughout Rome were placed beneath the Pantheon’s main altar.
AD 1508
Raphael makes his first visit to the Pantheon. His fascination with it helps to spur the great love affair between the Pantheon and the many Renaissance artists and architects who incorporated its designs into their works.
AD 1600
Two bell towers are added to the Pantheon’s facade to create a more church-like appearance. Referred to as “donkey ears” by the public, the unpopular additions were removed two centuries later.
AD 1747
Lightning strikes the Pantheon’s dome. A portion of the ceiling collapses.
AD 1965
The Pantheon is declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.
FAQs
Can I buy tickets at the door?
Sure, but get ready to wait. Lines are long, especially April through October. Between 11 AM and 2 PM, the queue can stretch across the whole piazza. If you show up right at 9 AM, you’ll have better luck.
Where should I buy tickets?
Right here on our site through trusted partner. You get fast-track entry that lets you skip those long ticket office lines, and you can add an audio guide or book a guided tour. Plus, you lock in your date and time so there’s no stress.
Are there combo tickets?
Absolutely! Here are some great combo options:
Pantheon + Piazza Navona Underground with Video Guide: Skip the line at the Pantheon, then explore Piazza Navona with a cutting-edge video guide that brings ancient Rome to life. Watch reconstructed buildings and archaeological sites appear right in front of you through augmented reality technology. It’s like time travel.
Castel Sant’Angelo + Pantheon Combo: Visit two iconic sites in one ticket. Start at Castel Sant’Angelo – a massive fortress on the Tiber with seven floors of ancient relics and Renaissance art. Check out the former prison (Chamber of Ashes), explore the Papal Residence filled with stunning artwork, then head to the terrace for killer views of Rome and the Bridge of Angels. Then head to the Pantheon to see where it all began.