With its thick brick walls and large marble columns, the Pantheon is an impressive architectural building. The most remarkable part of the building is the more than 43 meter high dome. It was the largest dome in the world until 1436 when the Florence Cathedral was constructed.
At the top of the dome is a large opening, the oculus, which was the only source of light. The front portico has three rows of 8 marble columns, each one with a diameter of 1.5m. A huge bronze door gives access to the cylindrical building. Originally a temple for all pagan gods, the temple was converted into a church in 609. The Pantheon now contains the tombs of the famous artist Raphael and of several Italian Kings. Its ecclasiastic interior design contrast with the temple's structural design, but the marble floor which features a design consisting of a series of geometric patterns is still the ancient Roman original.
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