George in front of the Pantheon

The high point of this walking tour was the visit to the Pantheon. Inside we see Fra Angelico's Annunciation which moved George particularly and which we missed on the first visit.

The Pantheon is free - and magnificent. The stone in front of the building was laid in 26 BC and it took well over a century and a half to complete the building. Most of the Pantheon was built during Hadrian’s leadership and completed in 125 AD, though he gave Maximus credit for its completion and had his name carved over the door. The Pantheon was originally dedicated to a plethora of Roman Gods. The building is essentially in tact and unrenovated since its completion nearly 2000 years ago, yet it looks somehow modern. Some of the marble facades on its octagonal walls have been “recycled” or transferred to other sites, exposing original bricks which are about an inch thick. The marble floor is a magnificent design of yellow and reds whose colors are enhanced when the rain drifts in from the open center of the intact dome.