Il Pantheon of Rome – the most visited cultural site in Italy which in the pre-pandemic era had recorded over 9 million 300 thousand visitors (data refer to 2019) – will have a ticket. “Below 5 euros” affirms the Ministry led today by Sangiuliano and which in 2017, at the time of his predecessor, had instead indicated 2 euros as the psychological threshold beyond which not to go so as not to disturb what was then defined as the “without prejudice to the orientation of the Diocese of Rome not to place economic constraints on free access to places of worship”.
The building designed in 27 BC by Marcus Agrippa under the Emperor Augustus and rebuilt between 120 and 124 AD by the Emperor Hadrian remains one of the most visited monuments in Italy and in the world and even if it is not possible to have precise data about the admissions of the year of the restart, 2022, but only sporadic indications that are given from time to time as an addendum to the data on Sundays at the museum, it was a point that Sangiuliano had put in since from the beginning at the center of its table since it took office in Via del Collegio Romano. Now there will be the “necessary technical steps” because then after the announcements, which have been going on for years on this subject, it will be necessary to materially organize the management of a new entrance system, queues, reservations .. in short, all that inevitable but fundamental practical aspect of the matter.
Sure if it is imaginable that after the transition from free al pay the overall number of visitors will drop dramatically and therefore other Italian cultural sites will climb the rankings of the most visited places in Italy, the indication of the MiC seems very clear since last December’s declarations: “Let’s also look at what is happening in the rest of Europe : in France to visit the Musée de l’Armée, the Invalides and Napoleon’s Tomb you pay 14 euros, in England the entrance to Westminster Abbey, where the British royals are buried, costs 25 euros, while in Roskilde, to visit the cathedral with the tombs of the Danish kings, you spend 60 crowns, about 8 euros”.
There will obviously be the usual exceptions and Roman citizens and, as is already the case for all museums, young Europeans up to 18 years of age, the disabled and their companions, school groups, teachers and tourist guides may be exempt from paying the excise duty. . For us casual visitors, like the writer who just yesterday while walking in the center was attracted by the oculus of the magnificent Roman building, will touch a bit of sound organization. You want with the ticket, the queue and the sharing of the long queues with the thousands of hit and run tourists who will crowd to take an unwitting selfie with the background of the tomb of the Kings of Italy or Raphael, but rather in the Mass times (every day from Monday to Saturday at 5pm or at 10.30am on Sundays and public holidays) who by divine grace will remain exempt from paying the small fee. You can find all the information on the official website www.pantheonroma.com .