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Pantheon is a Greek word that means "honor all gods".
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The design of the final Pantheon was created by a Greek architect Apollodorus of Damascus and the Emperor Hadrian. Apollodorus was executed when he had a disagreement with the Emperor over the design.
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The inscription above the front entrance of the Pantheon reads "M•AGRIPPA•L•F•COS•TERTIUM•FECIT" which means "Marcus Agrippa son of Lucius, having been consul three times made it".
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The Pantheon's dome is the world's largest non-reinforced concrete dome.
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The square located in front of the Pantheon is the Piazza della Rotonda.
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The hole in the top of the Pantheon's dome is called the oculus, or the eye of the Pantheon. There are no windows inside other than the hole on the top.
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The distance from the top of the dome to the floor is exactly the same as its diameter. You could insert a sphere with 142 foot diameter inside the Pantheon. The Romans were somewhat obsessed with space and symmetry.
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The Pantheon is home to the tombs of several poets, Italian kings, and the famous High Renaissance artist Raphael. Raphael's tomb is more interesting to tourists than all of the Italian kings combined.
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The 16 columns that support the portico of the Pantheon weight 60 tons each, and were brought from Egypt.
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The Fountain of the Pantheon was designed in 1575 by Giacomo Della Porta. It sits in front of the Pantheon. It was sculpted by Leonardo Sormani out of marble. Pope Clement XI had the design modified in 1711.
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During the Medieval and Renaissance periods some of the superficial metals, sculptures and marble were pillaged and much of it was used in the creation of other buildings in Rome.
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Some believe that some of the bronze pillaged from the Pantheon was used to create St. Peter's Basilica's canopy over its altar.
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The Pantheon has been used as the setting in several films including Angels and Demons, Vacanze Romane (Roman Holiday).
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The Renaissance masters Michelangelo and Brunelleschi were inspired by the Pantheon to design the domes of St. Peter's Basilica and the Duomo of Florence. It is also believed to have inspired Jefferson Memorial, Low Memorial Library, National Gallery of Art, US Capitol, and the Pantheon in Paris.
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