Rome (EFE) collectors.
The monument remained one of the few attractions with free access in the Italian capital, which has seen tourists this weekend queue longer than usual to take advantage of the last hours of free access to the Roman monument.
The Italian Minister of Culture, Gennaro Sangiuliano, recently explained that part of the money raised will go to soup kitchens and another part will be used to face the restructuring and maintenance works of the building, as well as the start-up of a museum in the back.
“It is an ethical reason, if something is worth it, you have to pay for it,” he added.
For years there had been debate over the idea of charging an entrance fee to Agrippa’s Pantheon, the world’s best-preserved Roman-era monument, later converted into the church of Santa Maria ad Martyres and which also served as the pantheon of the Italian kings.
Charge admission to help preserve the Pantheon
70% of the benefits derived from the tickets will go to the Ministry of Culture, which will be in charge of their cleaning and conservation, while the remaining 30% will go to the coffers of the Roman Diocese, which will allocate part of the income to charitable actions and to other temples.
The people exempt from payment will be the same as those considered by the museums and monuments of Italy, such as those under 18 years of age and people with disabilities, while other groups, such as young people up to 25 years of age, will pay a reduced entrance fee of 2 euros.
For its part, access for worship and religious activities will continue to be free, as well as for religious personnel and lay workers, including the guards of the Royal Tombs located in the Pantheon.
Virtually intact despite its two millennia of history
The Pantheon, practically intact despite its two millennia of history, is the result of a remodeling that Emperor Hadrian carried out between AD 118 and 125 into a temple dedicated to the gods, erected by General Marco Agrippa between AD 25 and 27. BC
In the year 608 AD, Pope Boniface IV made this building a Christian temple after depositing the remains of numerous martyrs inside.
It is one of the main destinations for tourists, given its monumentality, its imposing dome and its location, nestled in the heart of the Eternal City.
In addition, it houses the tombs of important figures such as the Renaissance painter Raphael, as well as the kings of Italy Victor Emmanuel II, his son and successor Umberto I of Savoy and his wife, Queen Margarita.