Rome's best-preserved ancient relic, the Pantheon, is getting a new feature: the first admission charge in its 2,000 year history. The iconic building with its giant dome is Italy's most visited cultural site.
The €5 fee will apply to anyone over 25, with a €2 charge for younger visitors. It will be waived for under-12s, residents of Rome and people attending mass in the building, which has been used as a church since 609 AD.
In addition to an ancient Roman marble floor, Renaissance frescoes and paintings, the building also boasts the largest unreinforced concrete dome, with a diameter measuring 43.44 meters.
The proceeds of the fee, whose start date has not yet been set, will be split with 70% going to the Ministry of Culture and 30% to the Diocese of Rome.
Image: Jean-Christophe Benoist/Wikimedia
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