Pantheon, Piazza Navona & Trevi Fountain

The Pantheon

The Pantheon (built in 125 AD under Emperor Hadrian) is the best-preserved structure of antiquity and one of the most influential buildings in architectural history. The dome (43.3 meters in diameter) was the largest in the world for almost 1,400 years — and remains the largest unreinforced concrete dome to this day. The oculus, the 9-meter-wide opening at the top of the dome, is the only light source: The beam of light moves across the marble floor like a sundial throughout the day.

The Pantheon has been a church (Santa Maria ad Martyres) since 609 AD and houses the tombs of Italian kings and the painter Raphael. Admission: €5 (since 2023), free on the first Sunday of the month. Opening hours: Mon–Sat 9 AM–7 PM, Sun 9 AM–6 PM. On rainy days, water falls through the oculus — a magical sight.

Piazza Navona

Rome's most beautiful square was built on the ruins of the Stadium of Domitian (1st century AD) — the elongated shape of the ancient stadium is still visible today. Three magnificent fountains adorn the square, most notably Bernini's Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers, 1651): Nile, Ganges, Danube, and Río de la Plata as monumental figures symbolizing the four known continents at the time. Piazza Navona is Rome's living room: street painters, cafés, street musicians, and a Baroque backdrop that makes every film director envious.

Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi)

The Trevi Fountain (1762, Nicola Salvi) is the largest and most famous Baroque fountain in the world: 26 meters high, 50 meters wide, adorned with the figure of the sea god Neptune on a shell chariot drawn by sea horses. The tradition: Throw a coin over your right shoulder with your left hand — and you will return to Rome. Two coins bring love, three a wedding. Around €3,000 lands in the basin daily — the money goes to Caritas.

When to visit? The Trevi Fountain is accessible around the clock and always crowded. The quietest times: early morning (before 8 AM) or late evening (after 11 PM). At night, it is spectacularly illuminated.