May 2, 2021
his magnificent building is one of the many random things that has kept me grounded this year!
The first time I came to Rome was in summer of 2009. The first monument I have a visceral memory of seeing was the Pantheon. In all of its incomprehensible glory this relatively ‘modern’ looking building captured my attention and I couldn’t shut up about it. I asked question after question, trying to wrap my head around 2,000 year old building techniques and a freestanding concrete domed ceiling. As an aside this was with a much earlier iteration of @roman.vacations way before the company was born which is a whole other story (check them out for beautiful + fun Rome content).
Anyway. Yes. The Pantheon is magic but these days, it’s the life around it (especially in this mid-pandemic shot) that really captures my heart now.
See how it sits so regally as modern life whirls around it? Just observing, just being. The swirls of life that have been popping up around it over the last 500+ years haven’t made it any less majestic. I’ve written about this before but I’ll reiterate: it has seen plagues, wars, destruction and everything else. And yet, it sits as a testament to resilience and survival. That’s what keeps me grounded and a little starry-eyed still when I see it.
Not to mention everything all around it too. Did you notice the orange color of the building? Or the way the sun rays come streaming down onto the obelisk? Roman daily life envelops the scene. And the Pantheon sits and looks regally on. Humble yet striking. Bragging and yet utterly content with its position.
It’s currently surrounded by construction (this picture is from March-ish). But it’s still there: a gentle reminder of longevity and perseverance and all the things.
