My apt is located about a 5 minute walk from Hadrian's Pantheon built in the mid 2nd C. It is the oldest standing domed structure in Rome. Rebuilt twice due to fires caused by lightening, the Pantheon was orginally a temple for the Roman gods, but today it is used as a church. The painter Raphael's tomb is located inside. No one knows exactly how the dome was constructed. There are no visible seems on the entire dome, it seems to be one entire piece. At the top of the Pantheon dome is the open Oculus which Richele and I are admiring here.
St. Peter's Basilica at sunset my 2nd night in Rome. The middle pic is approaching St. Peters, and the last is directly in front, which doesn't do it justice because it's absolutely HUGE!
Click pics to enlargen. The first pic is taken at the entrance of St. Peters looking down the nave toward the high alter. The structure in the middle down the nave is Bernini's Baldacchino. This bronze structure sits directly over St. Peter's buriel spot. The Pic on the left is Michelangelo's "Pieta" carved from marble. You used to be able to walk fully around the statue but someone took a hammer to Mary's nose so now you can only view it from glass. Very beautiful but this pic doesn't do it justice. The video in the middle is of the Piazza directly in front of the basilica. I'm doing my presentation to the class on this piazza!
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